The Research Of Brick Craftmanship On Xiangji Temple Pagoda In Liquan County

Xiangji Temple Pagoda locates in Liquan County, Shaanxi Province, which had been builded in earlier Song dynasty. Its majestic shape and developed brick craftsmanship on imitating wooden structure were different from many other brick pagodas in Central Shaanxi area.By detailed research and analysis about all the brick components, we want to probe the rules about the brick craftsmanship in Xiangji Temple Pagoda. In the research,we used the Ground Measured 3D Laser Scanner and Aerial Aircraft to measure the reseach object and made the 3D imformation model.Some rules on the brick masonry and brick craftsmanship imitating wood structure in Xiangji Temple Pagoda have been shown through its brick components studies. In the brickwork of Xiangji Temple Pagoda’s outer wall, parallel-bricks appeared externally as the main masonry, and vertical-bricks were covered to strengthen the wall as the auxiliary masonry. The columns and crossbeams have balanced construction and decoration. The brick craftsmanship imitating wooden structure follow five principles: use bricks mostly; satisfy both brick and wood construction; unify module and simplify the form; pursue the artistic conception. On the basis of brick imitating wood structure, the pattern seek to approaching the imagery traditional Chinese wood structure by breaking brick’s limitations and avoiding wood’s defects.