As everyone knows, China is rich in natural and cultural heritage. Shanxi province, located in the middle north of its territory, should be considered the No. 1 rich in architectural culture. Since the dry circumstances prevented the ancient buildings from damaging, this province has the most and the oldest architectural relics.
This article is going to introduce a famous architectural heritage from the Tang dynasty.
The main hall in the Nanchan temple
The Nanchan temple which was sponsored by civilians, is the oldest wooden construction in China. It’s sited in a village of Wutai county, middle Shanxi province. The construction is believed built in the late Tang dynasty, more than 1000 years ago. The format adopted the distinctive Tang style, including the sizable ‘Dougong’ and far-extending hanging eaves.
Unlike royal temples in that era, the main hall in the Nanchan temple was built three-room-wide due to the shortage of cost, which in turn limited its height. Therefore, it seemed tiny and unimpressive.
Structure of the hall
When talking about structure, I mean the force-bearing system. Ancient carpenters were experts in constructing wooden beams and columns to hold the burden from the roof. They allocated pillars in the ground accurately and then connected each other with beams to form a framework. This is the crucial first stage in the building activities. After that, they filled masonry walls and doors in between the outer pillars, and paved tiles in the roof.
