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Timber-framed Structures



Chinese wooden architecture is characterized by a load-bearing timber frame, a complex network of interlocking wood posts that forms the skeleton of the building.

It is considered to be China's significant contribution to architectural technology in the world. In spite of this, it is not known how the builders managed to move the enormous wooden support columns into position. In ancient Chinese wooden architecture, unlike modern western architecture, the wall was only an enclosure, and it was not meant to bear any load. As early as seven millennia ago, Chinese buildings were supported by wood frames.

During the Neolithic period, the characteristically articulated wooden Chinese frame began to appear. A wooden frame house was built seven thousand years ago with mortise and tenon joinery. Hemudu Site is the oldest in Zhejiang. There have been over a thousand sites identified with circular, square, or oblong buildings. A semisubterranean circular and rectangular structure is also found with wooden beams and columns during the Yangshao culture in the middle of this era. The roofs were likely thatched and supported by wooden beams or earth.

In traditional Chinese buildings, Dougong is part of a network of wooden supports that are essential to the wooden frame structures. The walls in such structures were not load-bearing (curtain walls) and were sometimes made out of latticework, mud, or other delicate materials. Walls delineated spaces in a structure, rather than supporting weight. However, timber-framed constructions are ubiquitous in China, standing as distinct symbols of Chinese architecture. As part of earthquake-resistant construction, wooden components such as columns, beams, purlins, lintels, and brackets are connected by tenon joints. Despite their strength, the frames can be quickly assembled on-site by assembling parts manufactured in advance. Decorative woodworking, tile roofing, stonework, decorative painting, and other arts are also incorporated into the architectural craft.

It has therefore become an integral part of Chinese identity and a significant part of Asian architecture for the carpenters and artisans who preserve it and for the people who live in and among its spaces for generations. As the construction process unfolds, each phase demonstrates its own unique and systematic methods and skills. However, traditional Chinese architecture reflects an inherited understanding of nature and interpersonal relationships and embodies a heritage of wisdom and craftsmanship. Today, Chinese traditional architectural craftsmanship for timber-framed structures is mostly used in the construction of structures in the traditional style and to restore ancient structures.

References

(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/chinese-traditional-architectural-craftsmanship-for-timber-framed-structures-00223) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Chinese_wooden_architecture#Timber_frame) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_architecture#Others) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dougong)


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