Track of the great craftsman

Author: Dou Zhongru / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Once upon a time, I tried to explore the origins of the cultural lineage of Chinese architecture, only to discover that it was actually another universe of its own. Forget about finding the beginning of the architectural lineage; even tracing a single branch was deemed "far beyond the reach of a few dull minds." Much less could I dare to follow its path. Fortunately, I was young and full of passion back then, so I rashly embarked on this long journey. Little did I expect that my fervent enthusiasm and confidence would gradually fade in the solitude of the journey, and the world before my eyes would slowly turn into a helpless and vast emptiness. Countless mountains and rivers stood in my way, and endless fields stretched before me. Where should I inquire about the cultural lineage of Chinese architecture, and from where should I trace its origins? Just as I was at a loss, Mr. Luo Zhewen, an authority on ancient Chinese architecture, brought me luck and hope, and led me to lay the foundation for this vast and complex undertaking. That was to step into the history of ancient Chinese architecture, to shed the long-standing criticism of "seeing things but not people," and to reverently visit the great architects behind those structures. Thus, when I opened the long-forgotten "Record of Master Architects" for over seventy years, I realized that the great architects of Chinese architecture from the "Tang and Yu era to the modern times" had gathered together here, engaging in a timeless spiritual exchange.
Tang and Yu, also known as Chu and Zhi, were the Gongs during the reign of Yao and Shun. They invented and created various tools such as compasses, squares, levels, ropes, hammers, bows, arrows, plows, and sickles. So, although Tang and Yu were not the true "architects" people usually referred to, they did invent the tools essential for architects. Then, when did true architectural activities begin? I remember that Mr. Luo Zhewen wrote in his article "The National Characteristics of World Architecture and the Exchange of Architectural Technology, Cultural Art, and Art" that: "In China, the earliest way the ancestors solved the problem of housing was by using natural caves, with some modifications and the use of branches for habitation, known as 'cave dwellings' and 'nest dwellings.' Later, as society developed, they created buildings with foundations, walls, beams, columns, and roofs." In other words, architectural activities emerged along with the beginning of human activities. However, the earliest architectural activities seemed to be merely for building a shelter from wind and rain, rather than becoming the psychological support they have evolved into today. Of course, with the continuous advancement of science, technology, and human activities, wild cave dwellings and nest dwellings have evolved into magnificent skyscrapers and high-end garden villas, and even their original functions have undergone tremendous changes, transforming from simple residential buildings into various styles that combine living, working, production, commerce, leisure, appreciation, and commemoration. However, even in the history of Chinese architecture, there were structures like the Qin imperial palace of "covering over three hundred miles and blocking the sky and sun," as well as the magnificent Forbidden City during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Yet, what people see are only these splendid buildings described as "a tower every five steps, a pavilion every ten steps. The corridors twist and turn, the eaves project high like pecking birds. Each embraces the terrain, and the structures compete in intricacy." But few know who created these classic and immortal works of art. Of course, due to the long-standing tradition of "separating the way from the tools and valuing scholars over artisans," people seemed to neither care to know nor remember those seemingly clumsy "artisans." Precisely for this reason, it is necessary to mention a figure in the history of Chinese architecture who made pioneering contributions—Zhu Qiqian, as well as the Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies he personally funded.
Born in Xinyang, Henan in 1872, Zhu Qiqian was of Kailang, Guizhou origin, styled Guixin, and later known as Huogong in his later years. He was widely respected as Gui Lao or Zhu Gui Lao by later generations. Zhu Qiqian, a scholar who passed the imperial examination during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty, held a rather ordinary official career until 1904, when he met Yuan Shikai of Xiangcheng, Henan, and began to rise to prominence under Yuan's patronage, eventually becoming the Minister of Interior and Minister of Communications in the Beiyang government. In 1917, Zhu Qiqian left politics and engaged in local enterprises, achieving great success. In 1919, by chance, he discovered the "Treatise on Architectural Methods" in Nanjing, a professional book on architectural design and construction revised by the imperial government during the Northern Song Dynasty. Understanding that this was an essential reference for studying ancient Chinese architecture, especially Song Dynasty architecture, Zhu Qiqian entrusted the Commercial Press to reprint and publish it. By 1925, Zhu Qiqian had personally funded the establishment of the "Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies." Later, leveraging his personal reputation and influence, he secured support from the Sino-American Boxer Indemnity Fund, and the "Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies" was officially established in 1930. Thus, the institute gathered a large number of outstanding "master architects" of the time, and it was precisely their relentless efforts that pioneered and laid the foundation for a new discipline in the study of ancient Chinese architecture.
Given this, Zhu Qiqian not only personally led the affairs of the Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies but also made significant contributions to the urban development and cultural heritage protection of Beijing. For example, he expanded the East-West Chang'an Avenue, opened North-South Chang'an Street and North-South Chi Zi, constructed the Ring Road Railway, dredged the moat, founded Beijing's first park—Zhongshan Park, transported over 200,000 cultural relics from Chengde's Chengde Mountain Resort to Beijing, established the Palace Museum of Ancient Art, opened the imperial gardens of Beihai and the Temple of Heaven, and collected and preserved Jiangnan silk and embroidery artifacts. At the same time, Zhu Qiqian published and printed numerous academic articles, journals, and books, such as: "The Origin of the Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies," "Speech at the Opening of the Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies," "Journal of the Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies," "The Examination of the Imperial Garden of the Northern Song Dynasty in Dadu" (co-authored with Kan Duo), "The Record of Silk and Embroidery in Cun Sitang," "The Catalogue of Books and Waterways in Cun Sitang," "The Scroll of Yao Chengzu's Supplementary Yun Small Abode," "The Remains of the Carpenters" (by Xue Jingshi, translated and annotated by Liu Dunzhen), "The Record of Master Architects" (co-authored with Liang Qixiong and Liu Dunzhen), as well as "The Writings of Huoyuan" and "The Poems of Yu Xiang" and other works, including the annotated "Three Pictures (Die'er, Yan'er, Kuang'er)."
So, why did Zhu Qiqian establish the Chinese Institute of Architectural Studies and devote so much effort to it?