Traditional Architectural Carpentry in Nanxi River Basin

Field Study in Nanxi River Basin, Yongjia, Zhejiang, China, 01/2014-08/2014

Researcher, Institute of Chinese Vernacular Architecture, Tsinghua University, Advisor: Prof. Qiuxiang Li

I proposed and conducted an independent field research project studying traditional architectural carpentry in an ancient village along Nanxi River, Zhejiang Province. The village was placed on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2001. Due to its geological isolation, its ancient dwellings, traditional lifestyle as well as different craftsmanship are well preserved despite the last one hundred years of social unrest. Furthermore, according to architecture historians, the local buildings have retained the main features of Song dynasty architecture. Likewise, local architectural carpentry has also preserved many ancient traditions of Chinese carpentry.To conduct detailed research on local carpentry, I lived and worked with five traditional carpenters for six months.

Firstly, I documented the measuring system and tools, as well as their usage and cultural meaning. For instance, carpenter’s squares were also regarded as talismans to drive away evil spirits. Secondly, I documented the carpenter’s design process, such as how they determined the curvature of the roof, how they arranged the brackets, and how they decided the dimensions of components.Thirdly, I filmed rituals involved in the process such as ground-breaking, gate-erecting, plinth-positioning, ridge-raising, etc. I studied the use of the traditional compass and almanac and recorded the verses recited by the chief carpenter in these rituals.Fourthly, I documented their techniques of processing components and the shape of each component. Fifthly, I interviewed them about their apprenticeships, interactions with villagers, and other life experiences. Finally, I documented other crafts in the village including furniture carpentry, barrel carpentry, masonry, bamboo crafts and weaving.

After the field study, I compared Nanxi River carpentry with that of ancient carpentry books, such as Yingzao fashi, Luban jin, Gongbu gongcheng zuofa, Yingzao fayuan. I also conducted research on Chinese traditional mathematics that I found was connected to carpenter’s design logic. Furthermore, I went to Hebei and Shanxi Province to survey extant structures from the Tang and Sang dynasties, which I compared with the carpentry I had documented. I then completed a field research report on Nanxi River carpentry, which has been accepted and will be published by Tsinghua University Press in 2015.