Architecture of the Song dynasty: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:57, 23 May 2007

Revision as of 00:55, 25 May 2007

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[[Image:Liuhe Pagoda.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Liuhe Pagoda]], or Six Harmonies Pagoda, erected in 1156 AD and fully reconstructed in 1165 AD.]]

Like every subsequent dynastic period of [[China]], the '''[[architecture]] of the [[Song Dynasty]]''' was based upon the accomplishments of its predecessors. In terms of [[architecture]], the profession of the [[architect]], [[craftsman]], [[carpenter]], and building [[engineer]] weren't seen as high professions equal to the likes a [[Confucian]] scholar-official. Architectural knowledge was passed down orally for thousands of years in China, from a father craftsman to his son (if the son wished to continue the legacy of his father).

During the [[Song Dynasty]] ([[960]]–[[1279]] AD), previous works on architecture were brought to more sophisticated levels of description, such as the ''Yi Li Shi Gong'', written by [[Li Ruo-gui]] in 1193 AD.<ref name="needham volume 4 81">Needham, Volume 4, 81.</ref> One of the most difinitive works, however, was the earlier ''Mu Jing'' ('Timberwork Manual'), ascribed to the Master-Carpenter (Du Liao Jiang) known as [[Yu Hao]], written sometime between 965 to 995. Yu Hao was responsible for the construction of an elegant wooden pagoda tower in Kaifeng, one that unfortunately was burnt down by lightning and replaced by a brick pagoda soon after (refer to Iron Pagoda of Youguo Temple below). In his time, books on architecture were still considered a lowly scholarly achievement since it was associated with a middle-class craft, therefore it was not even recorded in the official court bibliography.<ref name="needham volume 4 82">Needham, Volume 4, 82.</ref> However, the scientist and statesman Shen Kuo wrote of his work extensively around 1080, praising the Timberwork Manual as a work of architectural genius, and that no one in his own time could reproduce such a work (refer to article on [[Shen Kuo]]).<ref name="needham volume 4 84">Needham, Volume 4, 84.</ref> However, several years later, there was such a man, known as [[Li Jie]], who wrote the ''Ying Zao Fa Shi'' ('Treatise on Architectural Methods').<ref name="needham volume 4 84"/>