Moon gate

Moon gate

A Moon Gate (Chinese: 月亮门; pinyin: yuèliàng mén) is a circular opening in a garden wall that acts as a pedestrian passageway, and a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens. Moon Gates have many different spiritual meanings for every piece of tile on the gate and on the shape of it. The sloping roofs of the gate represent the half moon of the Chinese Summers and the tips of the tiles of the roof have talisman on the ends of them. Chinese Gardens are often used as a display of class and beauty in many different Western Cultures. The purpose of these gates is to serve as a very inviting entrance into gardens of the rich upper class in China. The gates were originally only found in the gardens of wealthy Chinese nobles.

Moon Gates were incorporated into the architecture of Bermuda in the late 19th century, around the same time that the British territory began importing Easter lily bulbs from Japan for cultivation. The Bermuda Moon Gate is slightly different from the original Chinese design, as it is often left free-standing or attached to low wall. In Bermuda, it is regarded as good luck for newlyweds to step through the gate.

  • Moon Gate, National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, National Arboretum, Washington DC

  • A Moon Gate in Bermuda

v · d · eRooms, spaces, and architectural elements
Public areas
Airport lounge • Auditorium • Cafeteria • Classroom • Changing room / Locker room • Conference hall • Doctor's office • Function hall • Mailroom • Library • Lobby • Office • Refectory • Restroom • Security • Waiting room
Passages and spaces
Alcove • Atrium • Balcony • Breezeway • Corridor • Deck • Elevator • Emergency exit • Escalator • Entryway / Genkan / Mud room • Foyer • Hallway • Loft • Loggia • Nook • Patio • Pedway • Pergola • Porch • porte-cochère • Portico • Ramp • Secret passage • Skyway • Spear closet • Stairway • Terrace • Veranda • Vestibule • Wheelchair ramp
Utility and storage
Attic • Basement • Box room / Carport • Cloakroom • Closet • Electrical room • Equipment room • Furnace room / Boiler room • Garage • Janitorial closet • Laundry room / Utility room • Mechanical room / floor • Pantry • Root cellar • Semi-basement • Studio • Server room • Wardrobe • Workshop • Vault • Wine cellar • Wiring closet / Demarcation point
Shared residential rooms
Billiard room • Bonus room • Common room • Den • Dining room • Drawing room • Family room • Great room • Hearth room • Home office • Kitchen • Kitchenette • Library • Living room / Lounge / Sitting room • Man cave • Media room or Home theater • Mehmaan khana • Recreation room • Shrines • Study • Sunroom / Solarium
Private rooms
Bathroom / Toilet (room) • Bedroom / Guest room • Boudoir • Cabinet • Jack and Jill bathroom • Nursery • Safe room • State room • Suite • Walk-in closet
Great house areas
Ballroom • Butler's pantry • Buttery • Drawing room • Fainting room • Great chamber • Great hall • Larder • Long gallery • Lumber room • Parlour • Root cellar • Salon • Saucery • Scullery • Servants' hall • Servants' quarters • Smoking room • Solar • Spicery • Stillroom • Undercroft
Other areas
Barn • Boathouse • Conservatory • Gym • Loading dock • Moon gate • Outhouse • Secondary suite • Shed • Stable • Storm cellar or Storm room
Architectural elements
Arch • Ceiling • Colonnade • Column • Courtyard • Fireplace • Floor • Gate • Lighting • Ornament • Swimming pool • Vault • Wet bar • Roof
Related terms
Building • Furniture • House • House plan • Rooms


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