Asian Art of carpentry on the example of China / O. Kania, K. Barnaś // W: Sharing Cultures 2017 : proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Intangible Heritage, Barcelos, Portugal 6-8 September ... więcej

Asian Art of carpentry on the example of China / O. Kania, K. Barnaś // W: Sharing Cultures 2017 : proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Intangible Heritage, Barcelos, Portugal 6-8 September / ed. by Sérgio Lira, Rogério Amoêda, Cristina Pinheiro. – Barcelos : Green Lines Instituto para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável, 2017. – S. 229-235 : fot., rys. – Bibliogr. s. 235, Abstr. – ISBN 978-989-8734-24-2. – ISBN 978-989-8734-23-5 (online)

The art of building using timber stretches back far into the past, to the very beginnings of human civilisation. Nearly every human culture, through being exposed to differing climate and geographical ... więcej

The art of building using timber stretches back far into the past, to the very beginnings of human civilisation. Nearly every human culture, through being exposed to differing climate and geographical conditions, has produced its own flavour of the art of carpentry, uniquely tailored to the conditions in which it evolved. The tradition of carpentry of China is no different, as each of the provinces of the Middle Kingdom has its own techniques and joinery patterns that are employed in its architecture and other timber products, such as furniture, producing a wonderfully diverse culture of working with wood. The aforementioned environmental elements that influence the development of carpentry in a particular location can include elements like weather, temperature, humidity, as well as the availability and type of wood used. In terms of cultural influences, it has been observed that the architectural forms of numerous timber structures act as a sort of reservoir that preserves elements of even the simplest and oldest structural elements to be used in the construction of human dwellings. The same patterns can be seen in Asia and, by extension, in China. The paper focuses on the techniques and forms employed by Chinese carpenters and woodworkers, featuring an overview of both historical and modern trends in timber architecture, trying to identify and point out the links between that which is considered historical and modern. It explores the carpentry techniques used in such Chinese landmarks like the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Pagodas of the Sun and Moon in the city of Guilin and the pavilions located in the Yu Garden in Shanghai, among other places, and delves into the unique conditions of each of these locations that have influenced the development of their respective styles of this art. The arts of carpentry and woodworking can be seen both as elements of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Tangible - because of its effects: from everyday items to mighty structures; intangible - due to the traditions and patterns that are preserved through it: the rites of passage required of a student of the profession to become a master, the passing down of techniques from generation to generation and the influence that forms associated with and that ultimately arise from working with wood have on modern design and architecture.