The Stuff It's Made of
Architectural Materials of Ancient China
Architectural technology has made great strides in the last 50 years. New materials and processing methods appear in greater numbers while natural materials are diminishing. This phenomenon is especially obvious in urban buildings. People base building material decisions on the visual effect, physical properties and economic returns. From the contemporary point of view, these new technologies make architecture far more advanced than traditional architecture in every way. However, what has been preserved from history tells us just the opposite. In fact, few of these “high-tech” materials have a long life. The main reason is the principle of mutual-generation and mutual-inhibition. In the complicated process of changing the property of a material, its overall integrity is compromised. For example, a metal panel is easy to shape but corrodes easily. A layer of paint is added to protect it from the elements. But the wide use of such paint is polluting the environment. Negative consequences over the long term are not often considered. The separation of scientific schools usually adds to this problem.
In fact, ancient people had fairly advanced building technology. Dayan Tower in Xi’an and the Wooden Tower in Ying County have endured many strong earthquakes. Such ancient structures’ amazing durability is beyond the comprehension of modern-day people and current technology. It is obvious that ancient structures consist mostly of natural materials. Few used any synthetic material. The reason for this, besides relatively abundant resources, is belief in the gods. Ancient people thought, by using natural materials, they could better preserve and conform to the order of the macrocosm. They did not focus on meeting the desires of individuals, and thus did not endanger the environment for future generations.
From the above examples, we can conclude that ancient and modern people have fundamentally different views of architecture. Ancient people looked at things taking into account the perspective of gods, while today’s people are solely focused on humans. When ancient people evaluated a building, they compared it to their understanding of heavenly standards. They referred to a beautiful creation as a solution “sent by gods.” The deeper meaning is quite different from what people today refer to as innovation. Gods do exist. Ancient relics prove it. Mankind should consider architecture as a central part of human culture. In fact, in the field of architecture, “following the Tao” is to attain the form and meaning of buildings in higher dimensions. Architecture in the future should be based entirely on this principle. This is a manifestation of the Fa of the universe at a more evolved human level.
By Xuan Qing Used with permission of pureinsight.org
