Comprehensive Overview of Ancient Buildings in Shanxi

Author: Li Yuming, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-08-01
Features: Shanxi is located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and is one of the earliest cradles of the Chinese nation. To date, it has a civilization history spanning over 5,000 years. On this ancient land of Shanxi, our ancestors thrived, leaving behind a rich historical heritage. Whether in painting, sculpture, colored clay sculptures, or in theater, music, poetry, and calligraphy, the brilliance of history, art, and science shines brightly, with ancient architecture standing out as a remarkable testament to the harmonious unity of history, art, and science. These ancient buildings, many of which are still well-preserved to this day, include city walls, streets, residential houses, beams, temples, shrines, towers, and mausoleums, covering a wide range of categories and abundant in quantity. So far, Shanxi has discovered 106 wooden-structured buildings from the Song Dynasty or earlier. These ancient structures, spanning over a thousand years, are rare treasures in China. The Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties left behind a significant number of buildings, nearly 100 in total, including temples, pavilions, towers, and ancient pagodas. The quantity, scale, and unique designs of these structures hold an important position in China. As for the post-Yuan Dynasty, the number of various-structured buildings is even greater, with many of them being representative works from different historical periods. The Shanxi Provincial Geographical Names Committee and the Shanxi Provincial Research Institute for the Protection of Ancient Architecture have compiled a collection of the finest remaining ancient buildings in Shanxi. The book features recent color photographs alongside concise textual descriptions, making it both engaging and informative. With this book in hand, readers can explore the essence of Shanxi's ancient architecture and appreciate the beauty of civilizations across the ages.