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Multi-Level Housing Governance in Rural Settlement Lin & Jia
purposes. But it is interesting that the experienced more frequent repair and
gates are still in a four-panel style which replacement compared to other structural
is the same as the traditional one. parts.
(ii) Structure Without affecting the stability of the
In terms of the general structure, overall structure, part of the structure can
traditional wooden structures of these be changed according to the changing
two buildings were kept the same during functions. For example, part of the
the four periods. The logic behind structure of attic on the second floor has
constructing a wood column-beam frame been removed. In the original structure,
structure is to form a frame that bears the all the beams were completely connected
load of the whole building by columns as to the adjacent two columns. It was a
vertical components and beams as typical form of the second-floor structure
horizontal components. In this kind of in the early Qing dynasty. In the late
structural system, the structural Qing dynasty, the structure had
constructions, such as the columns and transformed in that the beams on one side
beams, are totally separated from the had been removed to create a rectangular
infill constructions such as the partition entrance going inside the attic. Then, in
walls. order to facilitate the usage of the attic
The major structural components in more efficiently, this part of structure of
the traditional construction system the building built in the earlier stages had
includes column, beam, purlin, rafter, been reconstructed as well that the beams
and Dou-gung. Basically, the columns on one side had been removed to create
and beams have not been changed since the entrance.
it was first built. They constitute the (iii) Combination of building group
fundamental framework of the building. Both the OTH and the SSCH have a
They are always built with solid wood three-section compound layout (San-he-
that is dried for a long time and coated yuan, 三 合 院 ). It is constituted by a
with Chinese wood oil to prevent moths courtyard gate, a main building, and two
and rotting. It is the reason why the major wing buildings. The main building and
structure of the building can weather wing buildings are connected through
different climates for a long time. the roof and platform, making a U-
Comparing to the major structural shaped overall layout.
elements, the decorative elements in the However, the OTH and the SSCH
structure that bear little load were represent two typical cases of traditional
replaced more often. For example, the courtyard houses built in the early and
side Dous (斗) in composition of Dou- the late Qing dynasty, respectively. The
gung are easier to be lost or replaced by earlier Qing courtyard houses are much
a new one. The same situation happens smaller than the later ones. For example,
on other decorative elements in the in the earlier courtyard house of OTH,
structural system, such as Queti (雀替). there are 15 lius in total; 7 lius for the
In the major part that bears great load, main building, and 4 lius for each wing
subsidiary construction is added to assist building. But comparatively in the later
supporting the upper structure. For ones, there are 23 lius in total, containing
example, at the corners of the building, a 11 lius for the main building, and 6 lius
wooden stick is added to the beam to for each wing building. Due to the
support the overhanging purlin. enlarged courtyard space, the late Qing
The rafters and purlins support all courtyard house represented by the
the tiles of the roof directly. They are SSCH has a larger and much more
easier to be corroded by rain, or damaged spacious front yard than the earlier one
by strong wind. Thus, rafters and purlins represented by the OTH. The causes of
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