Research On The Characteristic Crafts Of Traditional Gan-Qing Architecure

The provinces of Gansu and Qinghai are situated at a key point of the "silkroad", the cultural exchanging channel between China and western world. Heregather together the religions like Tibetan Buddhism, Han Buddhism, Islam andDaoism, and remain multiple cultures of Han, Tibetan, Hui and so on.Types oftraditional architecture in Gansu and Qinghai Province are varied. Evidently, there issomething in common in the different types in many aspects like structure,construction technique, as well as site selection, layout, forms, decorations andaesthetics. They form an all-embracing and unique system, which is referred to asthe "Gan-Qing Architecture".In accord with the geographic and cultural background,Gan-Qing Architecture has its own relatively independent system, "living"architectural tradition, and, therefore, important position in the architectural historyof China. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, The provinces of Gansu and Qinghai hasboasted of raising generations of excellent carpenters and craftsmen. Its buildingtechniques, including woodwork, masonry, wood carving and brick carving, exerteda strong influence on the entire western provinces of China including Yunnan andSichuan. Owing to the complexity of the geography, history, religion and culture,Gan-Qing Architecture bears a feature of splendid diversities and compatibility, andcrafts of traditional Gan-Qing Architecure which is still alive and developing are theproducts of the complicated environments. So we have carried out a research project focusing on the characteristic crafts oftraditional Gan-Qing architecture in this essay. Based on abundant measureddrawings and large-scale site surveys, and combined with the textual research, thisproject pays more attention to visiting the carpenters and craftsmen in their workingsites and have attained some phrasal achievements in the aspects of historicevolution, school of the crafts and skills, characteristics of construction, andtechnological and artistic success. All these works must be significant forarchitectural history study and the conservation of the architectural heritageincluding the intangible heritage of crafts and skills.