Yu Hao (, 970) was a Chinese architect, structural engineer, and writer during the
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
.
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 muscles' that create the form and shape of man-made structures. Structural engineers also must understand and cal ...
work culminated in the construction of the Kai-Bao Pagoda, a wooden
Chinese pagoda of medieval
Kaifeng
Kaifeng () is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, China. It is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and is best known for having been the Chinese capital during the Nort ...
(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 ( el, πολυμαθής, , "having learned much"; la, homo universalis, "universal human") is an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific pro ...
scientist and statesman
Shen Kuo
Shen Kuo (; 1031–1095) or Shen Gua, courtesy name Cunzhong (存中) and pseudonym Mengqi (now usually given as Mengxi) Weng (夢溪翁),Yao (2003), 544. was a Chinese polymathic scientist and statesman of the Song dynasty (960–1279). Shen wa ...
(1031–1095) praised the architectural writings of Yu Hao. Below are two passages from Shen's book ''Meng Xi Bi Tan'' (''
Dream Pool Essays
''The Dream Pool Essays'' (or ''Dream Torrent Essays'') was an extensive book written by the Chinese polymath and statesman Shen Kuo (1031–1095), published in 1088 during the Song dynasty (960–1279) of China. Shen compiled this encycloped ...
''), 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
strut
A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension.
Human anatomy
Part of the functionality o ...
s 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
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Architecture of Song Dynasty
*
Chinese architecture
Chinese architecture ( Chinese:中國建築) is the embodiment of an architectural style that has developed over millennia in China and it has influenced architecture throughout Eastern Asia. Since its emergence during the early ancient era, t ...
*
List of architects
Notes
References
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Needham, Joseph
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham (; 9 December 1900 – 24 March 1995) was a British biochemist, historian of science and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science and technology, i ...
(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 architects
Chinese architectural history
Chinese structural engineers
Engineers from Zhejiang
Song dynasty architecture
Song dynasty science writers
Writers from Hangzhou
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown
Place of death unknown