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        Although roofs may seem insignificant, they are a very important part of Chinese architecture. Roofs not only protected residences from the elements but also had deeper meanings. For example, the Buddhist curved their temple roofs because they believed that the shape helped  ward off evil spirits. The roof of the temple is   made of glazed ceramic tiles and has an overhanging eave, distinguished by a graceful upward slope. The intricate fit of merging rafters forms the complex arc at which the roof curves. The Chinese also used this concept in the construction of elaborate roofs on expensive homes. The building materials used to cover the ridge and gutters improved, over time, from regular mud to the earth tiles. They plastered the floors and walls with a combination of lime and sand, giving them a hard and smooth surface. They also made the north walls of their homes thicker to protect and insulate from the strong and cold winds. Perhaps one of the most important architectural advancement was the invention of corbel brackets (known as "dugong" in Chinese) placed on column heads which support the projecting eaves. Later, these became a unique feature to the classical Chinese architecture.

    One important period for the development of Chinese roofs is the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) which created very sophisticated techniques and widely used the corbel bracket. At the sometime, multi-storied buildings appeared and many different styles developed, e.g. gabled, hipped, and double-eve roofs and the use of bricks as building materials. All of those featured sweeping slopes with upturned eaves and tiled corners. Most Chinese roofs had large overhangs that were not just for an artistic effect but also functioned as guard from the rain and sunlight.

    During the 10th Century Tang Dynasty, a favorite saying was, "The walls may topple down, but the roof would not collapse." This meant the function of the wall was not to support the weight of the roof, but to separate the space within a building. Because of this architectural style, windows and doors of any sizes and shapes would not cause the building to cave-in.

    One perfect example of splendid roofs is located inside The Forbidden Palace. The thirteen tombs all have roof tiles that are a brilliant yellow, green, and red. The ridges of each roof carry figurines and/or mythical creatures; the most intricate designs on the roof are usually pointing southeast. However, there are some downsides to having all of these decorations of the roof. The tremendous weight could eventually bring down the entire complex. That is why the Chinese have added an additional colonnade under the outer edges to support the weight, reducing the bracket system to mere decorations. They decorate the brackets with brightly colored elaborate paintings and astonishing designs.