The influence of traditional Chinese wooden architecture is far-reaching (the light of inheritance)

Pictured: Han Dynasty portrait of an elevated building on bricks (stones). Pictured: Shanxi Shuanglin Temple Hall Dou Arch. Pictured: A small sample of a spinner painting on the Forbidden City building.

Core reading

In the world's traditional architectural system, the architecture of East Asia and Southeast Asia is mainly based on wood structure architecture, of which the development of chinese wood structure architecture is the earliest and most mature, with far-reaching influence. His craftsmanship has been passed down to this day and was inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

Most of the construction process of construction technology is mainly based on the "eight masterpieces". That is, wood, tile, stone, soil, paint, paint, paint, timber, and paste. The protection of the Forbidden City requires strict adherence to the traditional "Eight Masterpieces" technique.

In the world's traditional architectural system, the architecture of East Asia and Southeast Asia is mainly based on wood structure architecture, of which the development of chinese wood structure architecture is the earliest and most mature, with far-reaching influence. His craftsmanship has been passed down to this day and was inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. Beijing Courtyard, Shanxi Courtyard, Huipai residences and other well-known living spaces are all masterpieces of this skill.

The art of building wooden structures has a long history

Chinese traditional wood structure construction technology, with wood as the main building material, tenon as the main connection method of wood components, modulus as the scale standard for design and processing production, and "eight masterpieces" as the main construction content. Columns, beams, fangs, bucket arches and other large wooden components form the frame structure of the building.

This technique has a long history. In the Hemudu cultural site, which dates back about 7,000 years, the tenon and tenon technique, the signature tenon technique of traditional wooden structures, has already appeared. In the Yanshi Erlitou Cultural Site in Henan Province, dating from 3800 to 3550 years ago, large wooden rammed earth buildings appeared. There are verses in the Book of Poetry that describe the roof eaves as far-reaching, such as the wings of birds, such a long eaves is mainly to protect the rammed earth wall from rain. During the Spring and Autumn period, the roofs of important buildings such as palaces began to be tiled. During the Western Han Dynasty, the two main forms of wood structure system represented by "beam lifting" and "piercing bucket" have been formed and passed down to this day. The roof of the building has also begun to appear "folding" practice, so that the shape of the roof forms an "anti-universe" arc, the architectural image is more feminine, and the problem of low eaves hanging affecting indoor lighting is also improved.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, real wooden buildings and multi-storey wooden towers appeared. From the Sui and Tang dynasties onwards, the combination of beams and columns and "paving (bucket arch) layers" supported the roof of the building with a large opening and a large depth. During the Two Song Dynasties, T-ridge and cross-ridge roofs were produced, as well as halls with "gong" and "sub" glyph planes, and the eaves were also reduced. It can be said that the basic forms of traditional architecture that we can see today have appeared in the Song Dynasty.

From the Sui and Tang dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty, traditional Chinese wood structure building construction techniques gradually became stylized, standardized and modular. Marked by the emergence of the Song Dynasty's "Construction Of The French Style", a complete system including design principles, type grades, processing standards, construction specifications, cost quotas, etc. was summarized, and the "material" of the eight grades of bucket arch components was used as the modulus standard. This system has played a role in unifying specifications and simplifying procedures. The craftsmen prefabricated components according to these ready-made numerical values, without the need for repeated calculations or even detailed drawings. This is a milestone in the construction technique of traditional Chinese wooden structure buildings.

Since the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, due to the large use of coal, the output of fired clay bricks has increased significantly, and brick walls have been widely used in official buildings and some urban houses, and the size of building eaves and bucket arches has been further reduced. The more important works of this stage, such as the Ming Dynasty's "Luban Construction Formal" and the Qing Dynasty Ministry of Works' "Engineering Practice Rules", respectively summarize and stipulate the common design standards for Jiangnan residential buildings and official-style buildings.

The combination of single buildings reflects the aesthetics of space

From ancient times to the present, people's demand for architectural space is mainly reflected in the expansion of indoor space and the satisfaction of complex functions. Due to the influence of building technology and material properties (such as the length of wood), the volume and form of single wood structure buildings are limited, so China has long developed the construction tradition of group combination of single buildings.

Different historical periods and different architectural systems, such as the court, the office, the ceremonial system, the courtyard-style houses and gardens, have different combinations. The change of courtyard space, the setting and contrast between buildings, the integration and transition of indoor and outdoor spaces, the virtual and real correspondence of various spatial elements, the change of skyline... The diverse combination forms have produced unique and rich artistic characteristics.

For example, the Forbidden City in Beijing, once a royal palace, needs to reflect the majesty and order of the royal family in the space of the architectural system, with a strong symbolism. Therefore, in the entire building complex, it is necessary to highlight the visual impact of the central axis architectural sequence, including the volume, form and color of the main buildings on the central axis, and the echo relationship with the volume and shape of the outdoor space. The general garden construction should focus on avoiding the symmetry of various contents and forms. The combined relationship of single buildings is an important method for creating spatial aesthetics in the traditional Chinese architectural system.

In this way, the adaptability of the individual building itself is relatively strong, and the difference between the single buildings of similar mass size is relatively weak. For example, the hilltop building can be used for both the court and other architectural systems.

The inheritance of construction skills is valued

Most of the construction process of construction technology is mainly based on the "eight masterpieces". The so-called "eight masterpieces" are wood (including large wood and small wood), tile (including brick), stone, soil, paint, paint, timber, and paste. The protection of the Forbidden City requires strict adherence to the traditional "Eight Masterpieces" technique.

Today, in addition to the traditional wooden structure construction techniques listed on the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, there are about 20 related local traditional building construction techniques, such as the traditional construction techniques of the Beijing Courtyard, which are included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage representative projects. In addition, some of the artistic special crafts and genres in the "Eight Great Works", such as Dongyang wood carving, Chaozhou wood carving, Linxia brick carving, and Zhongwei architectural painting, have also become national intangible cultural heritage. The inheritors of these projects are also an important part of the inheritors of traditional Chinese wood structure building construction techniques.

In ancient society, the construction skills were mainly passed on in the form of "words and deeds" between teachers and apprentices, and were passed on in the collective practice of multiple types of work. Most of the craftsmen in the city belong to government-run or private workshops. Rural dwellings are usually done by craftsmen, family members and neighbors and friends in accordance with local customs and practices, and are related to each other from generation to generation. The construction technology of rural residential buildings in various places is regarded by residents as an indispensable traditional culture in life, and its component content, modulus size, processing and assembly methods are not only familiar to craftsmen, but also well known to the public. Due to the relatively large costs of creating traditional wooden structure buildings, and directly affected by environmental protection concepts and national environmental protection policies, the practice activities of traditional wood structure building construction have become less and less. Most of the hands-on activities of the inheritors focus on the restoration of traditional buildings.

Since the reform and opening up, a large number of miniature buildings and antique buildings have been built in various tourist scenic spots, and the demand for traditional wooden structure construction techniques has begun to increase, such as the Splendid Chinese Folk Village in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, and the Qingming Shanghe Garden in Kaifeng, Henan. The demand of these scenic spots has become an important driving force for the practice and inheritance of traditional wood structure building construction techniques in recent decades. In the future, how to do a good job in cultivating inheritors and further carrying forward the traditional wood structure construction skills will need more wisdom.

(Author Affilications:Institute of Architecture and Public Art, China Academy of Arts)

People's Daily ( 2022-04-02 07 edition)