Andrew Chen

My senior thesis focuses on the Chinese architect Tong Jun, who studied at the University of Pennsylvania from 1925-28 and worked into the mid-twentieth century. In my thesis, I analyze Tong Jun’s work and the factors that influenced him, including the historical context, political situation, other artists, and Western education. While the Qing Dynasty came to a close, China began to look for ways to modernize. Several Chinese architecture students, including Tong Jun, were sent to study in the West in order to bring back modern ideas to China. While studying at the University of Pennsylvania and visiting Europe, Tong Jun adopted Western ideologies and styles which is reflected in his work. In comparison to the more traditional style of his peers, such as Liang Sicheng, his Western approach to architecture was more readily received by the new Communist Party of China. However, it is Tong Jun’s buildings, garden designs, and watercolor architectural illustrations that truly show his Western inspiration, Beaux- Arts education, and artistic values.