Research on the Geometric Design of Six Preserved Examples about Qipuzuo Dougong in Northern China Built before the Publication of Yingzaofashi

· Thesis submitted to Tsinghua University for the degree of Master of Engineering, in Architecture

· Advisor: Liu Chang

Abstract: There are six existent examples that were built in northern China before the year 1103, when Yingzaofashi was published. They all share the mutual style of Dou-Gong - double xia'ang, seven Puzuo, four steps, which was considered to be of high value and level.

This thesis collected previous survey, drawings and relevant research, focused on the orthographic images of Dou-Gong, which were obtained through 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry, endeavored to find out the similar or different designing approaches and considerations to the mutual type of Dou-Gong . Through the comparison and overlapping of these images, the descending angle of xia’ang and the detailed joints of the six examples can be observed directly. With dimensional analysis of the data, the geometric design of Dou-Gong could be concluded as three different patterns, which reflect the different methodologies of design that done by ancient Chinese craftsmen.

Key words: seven-puzuo Dou-Gong; geometric design; detail and joints; comparison and overlapping of the images; dimensional analysis

Overlapping of the 3D scanning images of Dou-Gong for each building

Overlapping two of the six examples, and 3D scanning images with previous drawings, making comparison and looking for similarities and differences

With the analysis of measurement database, summarizing the designing methodologies into three categories.