architecture song dynasty architecture song dynasty noted buddhist enormous stone wooden bridges lavish tombs extravagant palaces literary works architecture existed architectural writing song dynasty professional form described dimensions working materials organized manner addition examples standing depictions song artwork architectural drawings illustrations published books aid modern historians understanding architecture period architect master carpenter structural engineer high status scholar officials era architectural knowledge passed thousands years usually fathers sons government agencies schools construction building engineering song dynasty building aided private workshops employed central government city palace layout ancient chinese capitals capital followed guidelines specified square city wall gates emperor outer city ancient built reign emperor rectangular plan square proportions north south west east south wall gates gate center east gate west walls gates east wall gate southern end gate west wall gate north wall eastern end gate new wild gate gate gates center sides reserved emperor gates straight passages sets doors city gates passages guarded sets doors song artist painting river festival depicts gate detail building roof shallow slope song dynasty style supported prominently sets lower assembly rested city gate form wooden foundation upper assembly supported roof similar extant song building method assemblies support superstructure specified 12th century building manual literally flat base city wall built rammed earth technique detailed vol iii standards moat stronghold foundation square apply dan earth lay mixture broken brick tile crushed stones dan layer earth men standing face face times man pounding times times men standing face face pounding twice times man pounding following surface stamp feet randomly surface layer earth compressed layer brick stone half rammed earth walls time tapered thickness wall greatest base decreases steadily increasing height detailed book song dynasty city outer city wall inner city wall palace center inner city rectangular doors palace enclosure rectangular watch tower corners main gates gate west gate east gate north gate known gate south gate doors painted red decorated gold walls decorated dragon phoenix floating cloud patterns match carved beams painted tile roof dragons biting end rooftop ridge tail pointing sky symbolic function explained dragon tail similar hawk waves causes rainfall people likeness rooftop prevent fire hawk tail running southward gate imperial boulevard wide merchants opened shops corridors banned rows black fencing placed center boulevard barrier pedestrians carriages inner sides fences ran brick lined filled lotus south gate intercepted imperial boulevard crossed stone flat design boulevard stone bridge crossing river later imitated spring summer peach pear trees adorned banks variety flowers buddhist following reign han dynasty idea buddhist entered chinese culture means house protect southern northern period distinctive chinese developed predecessors tall watch towers residential apartments han dynasty models han era tombs periods chinese developed purely wooden structures use articulated stone brick easily survive fires caused lightning arson susceptible decay earliest brick remains extant built typical example era stone giant wild constructed buddhist influences china waned late period numerous buddhist towers built song dynasty tall chinese built countryside city walls largely avoid competition cosmic imperial authority embodied cities gate towers giant wild built city ward southeastern exceptions iron temple earned iron grey color bricks forming tower originally built wood architect struck lightning burned period rebuilt appears today order emperor song story structured octagonal base meters tall tile bricks feature carved artwork dancing figures ministers buddhist themes gallery period featured true cast iron iron temple jade springs temple province built incorporates cast iron stands tall imitating contemporary wooden stone brick features sloping octagonal base iron constructed cast layer layer octagonal sections standing feet high cast iron exist china today harmonies example song era architecture located southern song capital foot facing original destroyed current tower erected fully restored stands tall constructed red brick frame stages wooden size served permanent lighthouse aid sailors night described near brick built according inscriptions running storey square base pedestal thirteen stories totaling height multiple layers similar style earlier giant wild small wild wood brick hybrid built floors octagonal brick wooden fifth floor entirely wood stone brick featured architectural elements typical chinese wooden buildings example built uses typical wooden architecture hold roofs tiers feature interior reaches fourth floor fifth features winding exterior stairs provide access ninth floor temple tallest extant wooden tallest chinese built era remains standing completed meters tall octagonal base large platform surpassing meter held record construction 9th century served religious purpose buddhist landmark monastery great height gave valuable function military watch tower observe movements enemy utility surveillance towers serve astronomical built standing today temples uncommon wealthy powerful families facilitate construction large temple complexes usually portion family estate buddhist sect land contained buildings religions use family town located west shanghai converted mansion property buddhist hall later built religious buildings hall spurred boom temple construction area causing major center sect buddhism turn spurred construction temples lead town significant location song nearby town gained prominence shortly fall song large construction temples religious buildings spanned entire song empire apart development urban areas temples religious buildings featured number unique aesthetic structural features temple mother located southeastern suburb province extant examples early song architecture temple mother main building built period renovated double roof ridges dragon heads wide open jaws biting ends main ridge roof supported massive corresponding drawings temple mother curve upward slightly end characteristic song architecture columns façade decorated dragons shafts progressively taller increasing distance central pair building porch sole example structure unique feature site cross shaped bridge leads situated heart city example song architecture established chinese government palace temple legendary located near modern day built 11th century subsequently destroyed near end dynasty structures complex palace situated remain intact giant borne flank entrance palace sorrow meters high tallest unmarked country large pyramid constructed rounded stone blocks symbolic tomb son located outside complex important large borne period preserved mount bridges bridges waterways known china ancient dynasty song dynasty large bridges constructed built large bridges entirely stone like bridge built standing today bridges central spans featured paintings landscapes long covered corridor bridges like 12th century wide stone based piers wooden superstructure built serving administrator poet large pedestrian causeway built bears traveler visited describing chinese bridges encountered way mountains east historian quotes saying road timber bridges width drive built engineers years wooden chinese bridges 3rd century onwards doubt similar supposed employed bridge rhine drawn found use africa 13th century europe lane highway like found enormous beam bridges built song dynasty long individual spans length construction necessitated moving massive stones names engineers recorded appear inscriptions bridges names local officials sponsored oversaw construction repair engineering school headed prominent engineer known risen position governmental planned supervised construction large bridge called bridge near border present day county bridge stone structure similar number bridges found stands features ship like piers bound bases length width height famous bridge near bridge constructed examples song bridges include stone arch bridge bridge built sixth year dynasty song era bridges include bridge long seen today tombs northern song emperors located southwest city large tombs number thousand including individual tombs song emperors princes members extended family complex extends approximately east west north south construction complex began reign song ruler father buried site northern song emperors buried emperor song emperor song died captivity invasion northern china lining spirit ways tomb complex hundreds song sculptures statues tigers lions horses mythical creatures government officials military generals foreign ambassadors featured enormous display song era artwork layout style song tombs resemble found contemporary kingdom western auxiliary burial site associated tomb center burial site truncated tomb having guarded walled enclosure centered gates corner towers contains elaborate brick chinese timber frame construction door pillars sets interior walls tomb large separate chambers conical ceilings large staircase leads entrance doors subterranean tomb literature song dynasty previous works architecture brought sophisticated levels description written definitive works earlier manual ascribed written responsible construction wooden tower destroyed lightning replaced brick soon time books architecture considered scholarly achievement craft status recorded official court book lost history scientist statesman wrote work extensively dream pool essays praising work architectural genius saying time reproduce work singled passages scene gives advice architect order wind passage describes sections building area area ground foundation proceeds provide proportional construction techniques section years later published treatise architectural methods state building standards similar books came national building law early dynasty book earliest technical manual chinese architecture survived technical treatise architecture written architect official completed book presented emperor song year reign successor emperor song treatise officially published years later benefit architects book intended provide standard regulations engineering agencies central government workshops families china benefit written government manual building practices included building codes regulations accounting information descriptions construction materials classification crafts chapters book outlined units measurement construction fortifications stonework included specifications making units inclined arms joints columns beams provided specifications wood carving drilling bamboo work wall building decoration book contained recipes decorative listing proportions mixing mortars masonry manufacture tiles illustrating practices standards drawings book outlined structural great detail providing standard dimensional measurements components developed standard grade system timber elements known system units universally applied buildings book derived pre existing written material architecture majority book documented inherited traditions architects provided technical terms included mathematical building proportions construction techniques discussed implications local topography construction particular site estimated monetary costs hiring laborers different skill levels crafts basis day work addition price materials need according season employed architecture song artwork
Architecture of the Song dynasty