A Study On The Management,Circulation,and Utilization Of Building Materials In The Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty holds significant importance in the history of China as it represents a crucial juncture in its historical evolution.When studying the significance of building materials in the Yuan Dynasty,they serve as vital carriers of cultural heritage,reflecting the values,aesthetic perspectives,and artistic styles of Yuan society.Through the examination of the management,processing,and circulation of building materials during the Yuan Dynasty,one can gain deeper insights into the social landscape and craftsmanship of that era.The Yuan government established specialized agencies,including the Ministry of Works,to manage construction materials.The Ministry of Works handled civil engineering affairs and created comprehensive management systems.The Neizhengsi and Dadu Liushousi had similar responsibilities but focused more on managing imperial buildings.Local building material production was overseen by the Ministry of Works and local officials,utilizing specific measures like "bangshi"(documented announcements).The Jingshan Temple stone inscription offers insights into the organizational structure,decision-making processes,and aspects of local building material management during the Yuan Dynasty.During the Yuan Dynasty,timber and stone were primarily sourced from the vicinity of construction projects.Methods such as reusing materials,local extraction,and requisitioning were employed to meet the demands of official constructions.When establishing Dadu,Shangdu,and the Grand Canal,the Yuan Dynasty mainly requisitioned building materials from nearby regions.However,as the construction scale expanded during the middle and later periods of the capital city,materials needed to be transported from various parts of the country,including Korea.In terms of transportation and trade of building materials,water transport played a key role throughout different regions of the Yuan Dynasty.In the regions of Jiangnan,Guanzhong,Zhongyuan,and Kinai,various methods and routes were used for transporting building materials.Dadu relied heavily on canal transportation,utilizing official channels as the primary means of transport.The Central Plains region relied on rivers such as the Yellow River and the Huai River,making use of existing channels.Guanzhong relied on the water transport of the Yellow River,while Jiangnan,with its abundant waterways,utilized different types of vessels for transporting building materials and developed distinctive materials such as stone steles.The transported building materials primarily consisted of timber.Building material trade during the Yuan Dynasty followed mature patterns and mainly involved official "he mai"(purchasing together)and private contractual transactions.Regarding the specific application of building materials,high-quality timber and white marble were extensively used in the palaces of Dadu,and glazed tiles were predominantly white.Stone and brick structures were employed in Yuan Dynasty watergate constructions,which proved more durable than the wooden gates of the Tang and Song Dynasties.Their influence on the form and techniques of watergates during the Ming and Qing Dynasties was far-reaching.The widespread use of stone in both periods not only indicates the significant development of stone quarrying in the Yuan Dynasty but also reflects a shift in construction philosophy towards "using stone instead of wood".