This paper thoroughly studies die design ideas of Chinese traditional habitation analysis of the revelation of the characteristics and styles of the traditional residence in North area and South area of China.Using research methods of Analogy and Typology, systemic collection and investigation have been conducted in this research on such as environment, forms, space, interior decoration arts, culture involved, handling and re-creation of traditional habitation, which all are illustrated with numerous and detailed evidence discovered by the author. A new classification of traditional habitation has been established and many valuable design ideas of Chinese traditional habitation have been concluded. Furthermore, the paper proposes new design ideas of modem residency modes with native characteristics. The paper consists of three parts.The first part describes the history, present situation and classifications of traditional housing. Both North and South housing architectures have been analyzed from three levels, which are regional characteristics, difference and common characteristics, basing on investigating its developing process and its culture values implicated. Based on the discovery of its deep level meanings of Norm and South housing, the common symbolic principles of babitation design in the South and North area of China are expressed.The second part carefully studies many aspects of traditional habitation, such as the design of characteristic environment, forms of space, decoration arts and their culture values implicated. Exclusive examples of the traditional habitation in China are investigated. The research involves meaning, level, connotation, conformity and its diversity of techniques applied in such tradaacuaal habitation architectures, and then much revelation for the modern design are discovered. The four basic principles for improving modern habitant design by cooperating with native characteristics are reached: A. The principle for envircoment design, which are designing for people and harmonized with environment; B. The principle of habitant space design, which are affection stimulated by the real context and creating based on the real context; C. The principle of decoration design, which are simple creating beautiful and superb craftsmanship by creative thoughts; D. "The principle for habitant culture design, which are thoughts expressed by object and also provoking by object.The last part proposes a new design mode of modern habitation based on analysis of influence and revelation of traditional Chinese habitant design on modern residence. Some valuable results have been pointed out Firstly, modem residence design with native and traditional characteristics should be an importantdesign idea. Secondly, modem design should concentrate on to realize harmonization between residents and the environment Thirdly, elites of traditional habitation and local culture should be fully embodied and exhibited in the construction of modem Chinese housing districts. Finally, nature, civilization and architecture should form as unification; tradition, modernization and technology should be perfectly co-operated. Such new ideas will lead the development of Chinese modern habitation into a new stage.