The Yuan dynasty (1206-1368) of China was a vast boundary established by ethnic Mongolian people. Its economy and culture developed slowly and that also affected the development of architecture. As a result, most Yuan buildings were simple and rough.

Yuan's capital city Dadu (today's north part of Beijing) was large-scale and was the center of all Yuan construction. From here other Yuan structures spread out across the land. The main structures included palaces and gardens. The Taiyechi Pond and Wansuishan Mountain at today's Beihai garden of Beijing was once a spectacle of Yuan. The initial layout of Beijing was marked out during the Yuan dynasty and was later followed by the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Since the Yuan emperors believed in Buddhism, religious buildings were quite numerous - especially the Tibetan Buddhist temples. Lamaism temples were even set up in the countryside. Beijing's Miaoying Baita Temple was a Lamaism temple designed by a Nepali people.

The Yuan timber frames followed the Song architectural style. However, due to a poor economy and a wood shortage, new buildings were inferior to those of the Song both in size and quality. In the north, temples were built even rougher and more simplified. The Yonglegong in Shangxi's Yongji Town, for instance, is an important Taoist temple.