Yu Hao (, 970) was a Chinese architect, structural engineer, and writer during the
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
.
Legacy
Yu Hao was given the title of Master-Carpenter (Du Liao Jiang) for his architectural skill.
[Needham, Volume 4, Part 3, 81.] He wrote the ''Mu Jing'' (木經; ''Timberwork Manual'') when he was active sometime between 965 and 995, considered an important piece of classical Chinese architectural literature, and although it no longer survives, Shen Kuo quoted from it.
[Needham, Volume 4, Part 3, 82.] In 989, his architectural design and
structural engineering
Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering in which structural engineers are trained to design the 'bones and joints' that create the form and shape of human-made Structure#Load-bearing, structures. Structural engineers also ...
work culminated in the construction of the Kai-Bao Pagoda, a wooden
Chinese pagoda
A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhism, Buddhist, bu ...
of medieval
Kaifeng (the Northern Song's capital city).
[Needham, Volume 4, Part 3, 141.] The pagoda was lost in a 1040 lightning conflagration, while the now-famous
Iron Pagoda of Kaifeng was rebuilt on the same spot in 1049, constructed out of brick and stone to resist arson and lightning fires.
Timberwork Manual
Writing a century later (c. 1088), the
polymath
A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...
scientist and statesman
Shen Kuo
Shen Kuo (; 1031–1095) or Shen Gua, courtesy name Cunzhong (存中) and Art name#China, pseudonym Mengqi (now usually given as Mengxi) Weng (夢溪翁),Yao (2003), 544. was a Chinese polymath, scientist, and statesman of the Song dynasty (960 ...
(1031–1095) praised the architectural writings of Yu Hao. Below are two passages from Shen's book ''Meng Xi Bi Tan'' (''
Dream Pool Essays''), outlining the basics contained in Yu's 10th-century work on early Song-era architecture.
In the first quote, Shen describes a scene in which Yu gives advice to another artisan architect about slanting
struts for diagonal wind bracing (
Wade-Giles spelling):
In this next quote, Shen describes the dimensions and types of architecture outlined in Yu Hao's book (Wade-Giles spelling):
See also
*
Architecture of Song Dynasty
*
Chinese architecture
Chinese architecture () is the embodiment of an architectural style that has developed over millennia in China and has influenced architecture throughout East Asia. Since its emergence during the early ancient era, the structural principles of ...
*
List of architects
Notes
References
*
Needham, Joseph (1986). ''Science and Civilization in China: Volume 4, Part 3''. Taipei: Caves Books, Ltd.
External links
A Heping Liu article with info on Yu Hao
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yu, Hao
Architectural theoreticians
Artists from Hangzhou
10th-century Chinese artists
10th-century architects
Chinese architects
Chinese structural engineers
Engineers from Zhejiang
Song dynasty science writers
Writers from Hangzhou
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
Place of death unknown