The Story of Chinese Bricks and Tiles

Author: Zhan Xuanye, Fu Shanzhong, Liang Jiaqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: ★12-inch hardcover, published by China Building Materials Industry Press ★A monumental work of historical significance in the brick and tile industry, produced by the China Brick and Tile Industry Association ★Covers the period from prehistoric culture to modern times, including the early forms of brick and tile in the Yellow Emperor civilization, the secondary invention and innovation of brick and tile in the Shang, Zhou, and Spring and Autumn periods in terms of form, culture, craftsmanship, and technology, as well as the development of fired brick and tile, brick carvings, and tile vessels over more than 2,000 years from the Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties ★Fills the gap in Chinese historical studies regarding architectural artifact culture and corrects the unclear views of the domestic and international brick and tile history community on the origin and development of brick and tile ★Suitable for professionals in the brick and tile industry, archaeology, art, architecture, and related fields, as well as for readers with a keen interest
This is an important and historically significant book in the brick and tile industry, as well as a large-scale book in the Chinese brick and tile industry that combines archaeology, research, collection, and appreciation. The three authors, Zhan Xuanye, Fu Shanzhong, and Liang Jiaqi, spent nearly three years traveling across numerous archaeological sites along the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Huai River, visiting many renowned archaeologists and scholars in relevant provinces, and reviewing a vast amount of historical records. They traced back to prehistoric culture, based on extensive historical site materials and several social science achievements, and wrote this book with archaeological artifacts as evidence. The book selects more than 500 physical images from thousands of photographs collected, sorting out the prehistoric culture of Chinese brick and tile, the early forms of brick and tile in the Yellow Emperor civilization, and the scientific and revolutionary secondary invention and innovation of brick and tile in the Shang, Zhou, and Spring and Autumn periods in terms of form, culture, craftsmanship, and technology. It vividly depicts the development of fired brick and tile, brick carvings, and tile vessels over more than 2,000 years from the Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, and for the first time on the material level and cultural level, makes exquisite discussions on the significance of the invention, the significance of existence, and the social and historical status of brick and tile, filling the gap in Chinese historical studies regarding architectural artifact culture. It corrects the unclear views of the domestic and international brick and tile history community on the origin and development of brick and tile and proposes several new insights.