ARC 4303B
Aspects of Asian architecture
Spring 2002–03

Change of cai over time

Week 06, 2003.02.13

Home

References

week 01, 09 January
Defining the language of sections in the Yingzao fashi

week 02, 16 January
Rules and gaps in the Yingzao fashi

week 03, 23 January
Defining style formally: shape grammar

week 04, 30 January
Chinese new year

week 05, 06 February
A shape grammar of the Yingzao fashi

week 06, 13 February
Change of cai over time

week 07, 20 February
Parametric change over time

week 08, 27 February
An extant building

week 09, 06 March
Consultations, field trip

week 10, 13 March
Presentations: individual analysis

week 11, 20 March
Writing 1

week 12, 27 March
Writing 2

week 13, 03 April
No class

week 14, 10 April
Consultations

week 15, 17 April
Consultations

week 16, 24 April
Review week

week 17, date TBA
Conclusion

Assignment 4 in

Define constraints on the ice-ray grammar.


Context: change of parametric values over time

Scholars like Liang (1984) and Qi (1981) have identified parameters that change over time and therefore help determine the date of a building. What are some of them?

To compare parametric values of different buildings, we need the dimensions in fen, not in cun. How do we get these?

Chen (1992) has compiled parametric values for about 47 buildings from the Tang, Song, and Yuan. How did he get them?

I have prepared a chart showing the value of the fen for about 25 buildings from the Tang and Song. What information does the chart embody? How much interpretation went into that information? What relations does the chart show? How much interpretation is required to see those relations?


Assignment 5 out

Prepare a chart plotting the following values against time. (You will be assigned one.) What, if any, assumptions do you have to make about the information when making the chart? What information and relations suggest themselves for emphasis?

  • eaves overhang

  • bracket height : column height

  • cejiao, shengqi

  • roof slope

  • column diameter : column height

See Tufte for how to convey information graphically.


Next class

Parametric change over time


References

Chen Mingda. 1992. Tang Song mu jiegou jianzhu shice jilu biao [Field measurements of Tang and Song wood frame buildings]. In Jianzhu lishi yanjiu [Studies in architectural history], edited by He Yeju , 231–261. Beijing: Zhongguo jianzhu gongye.

Liang Ssu-ch’eng [= Liang Sicheng]. 1984. A pictorial history of Chinese architecture: a study of the development of its structural system and the evolution of its types. Edited by W. Fairbank. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Qi Yingtao. 1981. Zenyang jianding gu jianzhu. Beijing: Wenwu.