CONVERGENCE in DIVERGENCE - School of Architecture - The ...

2012 International Conference on East Asian Architectural Culture, Hong KongA New Study of the Modular System of the Chinese Architecture: Wooden Monumentsin the Yuan Dynasties in Sichuan ProvinceTHEME 1CAI Yu-kunABSTRACTResearch Associate , Chengdu Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, ChinaZHAO Yuan-xiangZHANG Yu Lecturer, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chinaresearch assistant, Chengdu Institute of Cultural Relics andArchaeology, ChinaModern researches argued a lot on whether the traditional Chinese wooden architecture has applieda certain kind of module system, and whether it matched the canons set by the 12th century architecturalmanual, Yingzaofashi. This paper will come to its own judgment, based on some case studies of several13-or-14-century monuments in Sichuan Province of Southwest China.Architecture ofInterpretationARCHITECTURE OF INTERPRETATION:HISTORIOGRAPHY OF EAST ASIAN ARCHITECTUREThe writing of architectural history has been continually exerting a powerfulinfluence on the built environment. With only around a century’s establishmenton the study of architectural history in this region, the continuous shift ofparadigm caused by social changes has been influencing the selection on whatand how to write. In this theme, the writing of history, the interpretation on theconstruction of architectural history and how such readings inform our currentpractice on the study of architectural history shall be discussed.This paper focuses on the Hall of Rotating Buddhist Scriptures ( 飞 轮 藏 殿 ) in Jinxian Temple ( 金 仙 寺 ),in Pengxi County. This Hall, once being considered as a monument built no earlier than the 15th century,has newly been reconfirmed as a 1327-A.D.-built construction ( 泰 定 四 年 ). Under a careful survey of thiswooden building, we take different approaches to check the key dimensions of the building. As a result,a module system does exist in this building. Its value equals exactly the width of a single modular unit orTsai ( 单 材 ) . That means, its module system is almost in accordance with the regulation in Yingzaofashi (营 造 法 式 ).To make a broader and better understanding of the module system in traditional Sichuan architecture,the Hall of Rotating Buddhist Scriptures in Yunyan Temple ( 云 岩 寺 转 轮 藏 殿 ) of Jiangyou County (builtin 1181), and the Main Hall of Qinglong Temple ( 芦 山 青 龙 寺 大 殿 ) of Lushan County (built in early 14thcentury) are also included in the scope of the discussion. Aiming to obtain accurate survey data for thesebuildings, we are get ready to update and refine our conclusion if new progress were available.KEYWORDSSichuan, Architecture in Song and Yuan Dynasties, Module System, Yingzaofashi ( 营 造 法 式 ), the Hall ofRotating Buddhist Scriptures ( 飞 轮 藏 殿 )19