News & Events

Special Lecture Held on Temple Construction and Traditional Chinese Architecture

On the evening of May 16, Professor Liu Tianci lectured on the relationship between traditional Chinese architecture and temple construction for the school's future architects club. 

Professor Liu’s lecture was divided into two parts. In the first part, he gave a synopsis of his career and background as well as a description of traditional Chinese architecture. He shared advice about architectural design. He talked about the design he oversaw for the War Memorial of the Taierzhuang Campaign in Shandong, and how he embedded moral significance in the site’s architectural design. 

He also talked about how inspiration could be derived through implementing classical design principles based on the axis, mountains, water, and other elements at a site.  He emphasized the use of hand drawings in the course of expressing works of design.  

In the second part, Professor Liu talked about his work in recent years on temple design. He also introduced the forms of temple construction, and where such construction has occurred, their characteristics, as well the relationship between such work and the ancient styles utilized in ancient Chinese architecture for roofs and galleries, and the placement of an axis in a site.  

Professor Liu is already 84 years old. He was an original professor and graduate student advisor of architectural engineering and mechanics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. After retiring, he has continued to struggle at the frontlines of design. He stated “as long as I am able to design, I am willing to serve the people.”

A rich discussion followed. Students expressed a new appreciation for the rigorous theoretical approach that promoted a strong sense of mission among the previous generation of scholars. A deep interest was sparked in the relationship between traditional Chinese design and temple construction. Many rich and challenging questions were raised, which Liu proceeded to answer one-by-one.

      Original Draft：ChenYifei

                   Photography: Mehelaimu

                                  Translation: Abraham Zamcheck