The Soul of Chinese Architecture: The Liang Sicheng and Lin Weiyin Couple in the Eyes of a Foreign Scholar

Author: Fei Weimei (Author), Cheng Han (Translator)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: If we look down from afar at the history of China in the 20th century, it is not difficult to see that it was a remarkable century of squandered opportunities, resources, and lives. The suffering of foreign invasions, compounded by the deterioration of domestic politics, could it possibly produce orderly national construction? How could individual creativity and the pursuit of knowledge flourish widely? The story of Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin seemed to bear out this pessimistic reflection from the very beginning. Countless social wastes disrupted and devoured their lives, again and again, leaving them no breathing space in the world. However, in Fei Weimei's portrayal, within those touching and intimate life fragments, we feel even more deeply the light of life that burst forth from their passionate yet tense marriage. It seems as if we hear the sound of laughter floating amidst the clinking of cups, with the bottom of each cup drained in a room filled with esteemed guests. It seems as if we see them meticulously researching the restoration of ancient architectural classics, their skillful fingers guiding the pen through technical details with elegance in both Chinese and English. We also see the long-lost ancient Chinese architecture finally regaining its rightful place in the national consciousness. We also feel their unwavering humor and resilience even amidst prolonged illness and suffering. Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin were both born in early 20th-century China, a period of conflict between tradition and modernity, where social status was uncertain. Lin Huiyin's father was a talented political dreamer and curious explorer. Due to the lack of offspring from his first wife, he took a concubine from a flour mill. Lin Huiyin was the only child of this concubine and received an informal yet excellent education. In 1920, her father became the representative of the Chinese League of Nations Society in the UK, and he took sixteen-year-old Huiyin with him.