Chaoshangujianzhu Building Craftsmanship
01 · Historical Records
The craft of building traditional Chaoshan architecture arose in the Tang and Song dynasties, developed in the Ming and Qing, reached its zenith in the late Qing and early Republic, and was spread to many countries and regions as an important expression of Chaoshan culture.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Chaoshan region lies in eastern Guangdong Province. The climate is extremely hot and humid, and typhoons, earthquakes and other natural disasters are frequent. In building, the ancestors of the Chaoshan people took into account such factors as resistance to wind, earthquake, damp and insects, and tolerance of sun and flooding, and in doing so formed the distinctive craft of building traditional Chaoshan architecture. Traditional Chaoshan architecture is mainly of stone-and-timber construction, making extensive use of materials such as shell lime, sea stone, granite, camphor wood and porcelain shards. Design comprises the determination of a building's layout, scale and level of decoration, together with the making of 'tangyang' (a model) and working drawings; it is the core of the building process. The decorative component covers a great many craft categories, the most important being wood carving, stone carving, porcelain inlay, grey sculpture and polychrome painting, with the distinctive openwork carving and gold-lacquer techniques being the most exquisite. The craft of building traditional Chaoshan architecture takes the harmonious unity of heaven, earth and humanity as its highest aim. Influenced by ancient geomancy theory and the traditional patriarchal clan system, it created such forms and layouts as the 'downhill tiger', the 'four points of gold' and the 'four-horse carriage' that are unique to the Chaoshan region, together with the roof construction popularly known as 'cuojiaotou' and the distinctive 'five-element gable wall' practice. It also encompasses wood carving, stone carving, porcelain inlay, grey sculpture, polychrome painting and other decorative crafts, combining practical function with aesthetic value. Traditional Chaoshan architecture was influenced by the architectural cultures of the Central Plains, Fujian and Jiangnan, and is of one lineage with Chinese architectural culture, while at the same time possessing a markedly regional character because of its own natural, cultural and craft features.
Model and construction-drawing design
The core design stage: layout, scale and decorative rank are settled, then a full-size model is built and construction drawings drawn for the timber and stone work.
The Xialanhu layout
A Chaoshan-specific dwelling form of compact size and shallow depth, used for small households or attached to the main block on one side.
The Sidianjin layout
A hall enclosed by rooms on two sides with doors on all four faces, larger than the xialanhu and the most common Chaoshan plan.
The Simatuoche layout
A multi-courtyard sequence of linked units, the largest scale, used for major ancestral halls and clan compounds.
Cujiaotou roof form
The characteristic Chaoshan roof form whose gable eaves rise into upturned corners: part of the answer to a hot, humid, typhoon-prone climate.
The five-line gable wall
The gable wall is divided along five lines into rhythmic sections, working as a fire and weather break and the basic grammar of Chaoshan walls.
Ceramic inlay
Shards of fired ceramic are cut and pasted onto ridges, gate towers and spirit walls; sun- and rain-proof and bright in colour, it ranks with wood and stone carving.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The craft of building traditional Chaoshan architecture is an architectural philosophy and building method created by the ancestors of the Chaoshan people by following the building style of the Central Plains and preserving the customs of the ancient Yue peoples, while combining them with the region's geographical, climatic and cultural characteristics. The craft is widely distributed in Shantou, Chaozhou, Jieyang and other areas of Guangdong Province, and has been carried by Chaoshan people to the Pearl River Delta, Jiangxi, Fujian, Southeast Asia and indeed all over the world. Traditional Chaoshan architecture includes traditional dwellings, ancestral halls and temples; its building craft is both comprehensive and regional in character, with varied layouts and rich decoration. The building craft is generally divided into four processes: design, construction, installation and decoration.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The craft of building traditional Chaoshan architecture involves a great many categories. It is mostly transmitted within families and between masters and apprentices through oral instruction and personal example, and the transmission lineages appear in a network-like distribution. At present, besides practising and handing on the craft in the building and restoration of ancient architecture, inheritors promote the transmission and dissemination of the project by setting up master studios, establishing training bases and introducing the craft into university classrooms. The craft of building traditional Chaoshan architecture integrates the philosophical ideas of 'heavenly timing, earthly energy and favourable wind'. It is of great significance for the study of Chinese architectural history and the history of Chaoshan folk customs, has become a cultural symbol of Chaoshan and a focus of nostalgic memory for Chaoshan people overseas, and possesses high historical and cultural value.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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