China's first wooden tower is where Yingxian wooden tower introduction

A while ago on the tubing site an account of the video is particularly respected by everyone. This video introduces the technology in the construction of Chinese house beams, this account of the people claim that this technology is derived from Japan, was criticized by the people of our country, but from this time to react, China in the protection of their own culture is something lacking. I now introduce a China's first wooden tower, expect to be known by more people, advancing the protection of the wooden tower.

In most people's impression, China's traditional wooden buildings are not tall, most of the emperor's residence is only 10 meters -20 meters high, the general residential is but a few meters. However, located in Ying County, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, the Buddha Palace Temple Sakyamuni Pagoda (commonly known as Ying County Wooden Pagoda) is an exception.

Traditional wooden structure building

It was built about 1,000 years ago in the Liao Dynasty, up to 65.84 meters high, the equivalent of a 20-story modern high-rise, is the world's tallest existing wooden structure of the ancient building.

Chinese historical records have recorded a height of more than 100 meters of wooden tower, but unfortunately, has long been gone, difficult to verify; since 2017 Austria, Norway and other places have only begun to build higher wooden structure building, with modern technology to break the record of Yingxian Wooden Pagoda; the following picture is the height of Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and modern building height comparison.

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and modern building height comparison

It uses all-wood structure to build, without a nail, 3,000 tons of wooden components, biting each other to form the tower. 1,500 people, you can climb the tower at the same time; the first layer of the average weight of each wooden column up to 110 tons, and this weight, since the wooden tower was built in 1056 A.D. has been sustained for nearly 1,000 years.

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda main load-bearing framework

Millenniums, other similar wooden towers or destroyed in natural disasters, or lost in man-made disasters, only Yingxian Wooden Pagoda survived in the world. 40 more than 40 earthquakes, more than 200 gunshots and artillery bombardment, countless lightning strikes; strong earthquake does not fall down, shelling is not destroyed, not burned by lightning strikes, known as "China's first wooden pagoda! "

It is the first wooden tower in China.

Why is it so tough?

-Whyisthistowerbuilt?-

Why was it built?

1000 years ago in China, when Song and Liao were facing each other in war, Ying County was controlled by Liao, and the then-named Yingzhou was only 20 kilometers from the warring border between the two countries.

Yingzhou location schematic

Song and Liao war and after the war, the border along the people's livelihoods, as the ancient super-projects, the wooden pagoda is basically impossible by the private sector to fund-raising, but most likely related to a prominent family, that is, one of the Liao Xiao Xiao after the clan of the four houses of the Batouri clan, the uncle of the state of the house of the lesser father. Before and after the construction of the wooden tower, the room has been out of three queens, three kings, the power of the day, known as the "Liao first after the family".

Yingxian wooden tower painted inside the feeder like, according to scholars Zhang Changkeng speculation, above the three people were Shengzong Qin mourning Queen Xiao hoe jin, Xingzong Ren Yi Empress Xiao Tartary, Daozong Xuan Yi Empress Xiao Guanyin, below the three for the family of three male king.

This branch of the descendants from the Yingzhou, in their hometowns to build towers, not only can show "a family of three queens, a family of three kings," the glory of the family prayers for blessings, but also look out over the border movements, play a military value. Thus, in the middle of the 11th century AD, the construction of the wooden pagoda was officially started.

-Aworldmadeofwood-

All-wood world

History doesn't leave much information about such an ancient super-project; we don't even know who the designer was? And who was the builder? But the exquisite construction of the wooden tower shows that they must have been the best architects of their time.

First of all, the craftsmen used stone to make the tower's foundation 2 meters deep into the ground, and the total thickness was more than 6.4 meters, which is equivalent to the height of 3 to 4 people.

▲The thickness of the tower foundation

The ground part of the tower foundation is divided into the upper and lower levels, the upper octagonal, the lower level of the square, corresponding to the "circle of heaven and earth"; four sides and then each sticking out of the platform, forming a stable large cross structure.

▲The layout of the pagoda foundation

The surface of the pagoda foundation is reserved for a number of column bases, which are used to receive the wooden columns.

▲Layout of the tower base and column bases

Next, 56 wooden columns were placed on top of the column bases in three circles, forming an octagonal column network.

The pillars are up to 9 meters high.

▲The height of the wooden columns

Columns and columns and then through the "square" "beams" horizontal interconnections, from the building directly above the top of the view, they *** with the composition of a "cylinder

▲Beam-column-square structure

In addition to this, the periphery of the column network is also built with a 2-meter-thick earth wall, which wraps the wooden columns tightly to make them more solid.

▲Schematic of the first layer of wooden pillars and earth wall

After that, one of the unique elements of Chinese architecture, the dou_, which consists of small wooden blocks stacked on top of each other, makes its appearance.

▲Dou_structure

It can be used to connect the columns, beams and square beams at each level.

▲Dou_and_posts_beam_fangs_connection

It can also overhang the eaves.

▲The first floor of the bucket and the eaves

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda **** use bucket _ 54 kinds, 480, for China's existing ancient architecture of the most, can be called "bucket _ museum".

When the wind, earthquake, the bucket _ like a loose spring, can be tightened to absorb the kinetic energy, to protect the main structure from infringement.

From the bottom upward look, a bucket _ like a cluster of blooming lotus in the tower glittering, the ancients called "hundred feet of lotus bloom".

▲Dou_

So far, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda's first layer will be completed. Above the first floor is a ring-like structure made of supporting wood.

▲Dark layer structure

The structure is hidden by the eaves and cannot be seen from the outside, forming a dark layer.

▲The second dark layer

On top of the dark layer, there are beams, columns, square pillars, and buckets, which are the bright layer. The combination of the dark layer and the bright layer is the second layer of the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda.

▲The second layer of the bright layer

After the layers are also duplicated and superimposed in this way, eventually forming five bright and four dark tower body.

▲The tower body

The role of the four dark layers is also revealed, they are like four golden hoops, which can effectively restrain the tower body and prevent displacement and deformation.

▲Distribution of dark layers

Finally, an octagonal roof covers the tower.

▲Top of the tower

A variety of religious artifacts, arranged from bottom to top, in the middle of the iron brake series, whenever the lightning, the iron brake acts as a lightning rod, surrounded by eight iron chain into a lightning lead line, to protect the wooden tower through the thunder and lightning. The top of the tower analyzes the diagram, the tower foundation, the tower body, the top of the tower, a skillfully crafted wooden tower is so uprooted.

▲Yingxian Wooden Pagoda panoramic view

The 26 statues of Buddha, representing the Hin and Tantric sects respectively, are placed inside the pagoda. From Sakyamuni Buddha on the first floor, which is about 10 meters high, to Vairochana Buddha on the fifth floor, the worshippers worship the Buddha from the first floor of the Hinayana Sect to the fifth floor of the Tantric Sect, completing the rounding of the Hinayana and Tantric Sect.

▲The Buddhas in the pagoda

In the whole pagoda, Shakyamuni Buddha is the most important, and the wooden pagoda is thus named Shakyamuni Pagoda.

▲The largest plaque on the Sakyamuni Pagoda

-Thefutureofthemillenniumtowerisathand-

Thefutureisathand?

The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda created an architectural miracle, but failed to bless the First Descendants with longevity. In the 19th year after the completion of the wooden pagoda, in 1075 A.D., members of the First Hou Clan fell into infighting, and Empress Xiao Guanyin, a skilled poet, was falsely accused of writing a lewd poem, "Ten Fragrant Words," and thus was given her death.

The suspected Xiao Guanyin statue in the wooden pagoda in Yingxian County

After another 50 years, even the Great Liao had ceased to exist, leaving only the pagoda standing and watching the world go by.

▲Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

Hundreds of thousands of bucket _, blooming like a flower.

Throughout the ages, it has gained numerous accolades.

Today's Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, although it still maintains a good appearance, but after all, the ages, wind and rain erosion, wood aging, man-made damage, the various layers of the tilt to varying degrees.

▲The third layer of the tilted condition

Some of the wooden components of the bending crack, is even more shocking.

While we can make minor repairs, it is how to keep it standing for a thousand years that is the most difficult problem for scholars.

①

The most radical program is known as

"drop frame overhaul"

The tower components will be disassembled

re-assembled after repair and replacement

But which replacement? To what extent?

If the vicissitudes of time are removed

Is it still the same Yingxian Wooden Pagoda?

2

The most conservative option is called

"full support for the pagoda,"

which means erecting a new steel frame inside and outside the pagoda

to help the pagoda's weakened muscles support the load

as if it were fitted with prosthetics

but the steel structure would intrude into the pagoda's original structure. The steel structure would invade the tower's original space

replacing the original structural system

and the tower would no longer be a living organism

but a dead specimen

3

The compromise is called

"the upper lift."

That is to say, the whole of the upper three floors, which are not in need of repair, would be lifted

and the first and second floors, which are the most damaged, would be dismantled and taken down for overhauling

This option combines the advantages and disadvantages of the first two options

But would the lifted parts

be returned to their original position unharmed?

Either option is an agonizing choice. But if the choice is not made, perhaps one day, the only remaining wooden tower will also cease to exist.