Despite having visited the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian county, Shanxi province, and Huayan Temple in Datong, Veldesen Yaputra was still astonished when he stood before the miniature models of Liao Dynasty (916-1125) architecture at the Datong Sculpture Museum.
A young visitor looks at a model of the Guanyin Pavilion of Tianjin's Dule Temple at the exhibition. ZHU XINGXIN/CHINA DAILY
Yaputra, from Indonesia, is a graduate student majoring in architecture at Tsinghua University. As an internet celebrity blogger, he was invited to participate in Discovering Shanxi's Ancient Chinese Architecture — A Visual Journey Through Cultural Heritage held from July 15 to 20.
More than 10 visual artists and overseas bloggers from nine countries explored Shanxi's rich architectural heritage, including a visit to an exhibition on the construction techniques behind the "eight great Liao structures", which opened on June 13 at the Datong Sculpture Museum.
It is the first time that the eight surviving wooden structures from the Liao Dynasty in China have been showcased together in the form of detailed models.
"These models faithfully reproduce the buildings' colors, carvings and intricate decorative details," he says. "When viewing the actual buildings, it's impossible to appreciate every element at once. But in miniature, the relationships between the structures — especially the complex dougong interlocking bracket system — become immediately clear.
"Visiting the original sites gives you a sense of how the architecture blends with the surrounding mountains and streets, while the miniature models offer a completely different perspective, allowing you to closely examine the construction techniques," he adds.
Moroccan blogger Fatima Zahra builds a dougong (interlocking bracket) structure at an exhibition on the construction techniques behind the "eight great Liao structures" in Datong, Shanxi province, on July 19. CHINA DAILY
Liao Dynasty wooden structures inherited the robust style of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and incorporated the intricate elegance of the Song Dynasty (960-1127), holding a significant place in the history of ancient Chinese architecture.
Renowned architect Liang Sicheng once described these buildings as "millennial national treasures".
Today, only eight complete Liao Dynasty wooden structures remain in China — the Mahavira Hall of the Shanhua Temple, and the Bhagavad Sutra Hall of the Huayan Temple, both in Datong, and the Wooden Pagoda of the Fogong Temple in Yingxian county, all in Shanxi province; the Manjusri Hall of the Geyuan Temple in Laiyuan county, and the Mahavira Hall of the Kaishan Temple in Gaobeidian city in Hebei province; the Guanyin Pavilion and the gate of the Dule Temple in Tianjin's Jizhou district; and the Mahavira Hall of the Fengguo Temple in Yixian county, Liaoning province.
"With two national-level precious relic sites — the Mahavira Hall of the Shanhua Temple and the Bhagavad Sutra Hall of Huayan Temple, Datong naturally bears the responsibility of preserving this architectural heritage and passing on its construction techniques," Yin Xuenian, director of the city's cultural relics bureau, said at the exhibition's opening ceremony.
"In recent years, Datong has been actively promoting the restoration, research, and utilization of ancient buildings from the Liao and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties, continuously improving the protection system for cultural relics, exploring the craftsmanship and architectural philosophy embedded in Liao buildings, and breathing new life into these thousand-year-old masterpieces."
A model of the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda at the exhibition. ZHU XINGXIN/CHINA DAILY
The exhibition showcases physical models of the "eight great Liao structures", covering eight major ancient construction techniques, including brickwork, tilework, stonework, large woodwork, small woodwork, ridge decoration, and ironwork.
It also displays traditional building tools, offering visitors a comprehensive look at the craftsmanship and aesthetic principles behind ancient Chinese architecture.
Wang Xiaolong, deputy director of Shanxi Academy of Ancient Building and Painted Sculpture &Fresco Preservation, says Liao Dynasty wooden structures represent a crucial stage in the evolution of Chinese architecture and reflect the cultural integration of multiple ethnic groups.
"The 'eight great Liao structures' are essential benchmarks for the study of architectural styles and historical periods," he says. "Shanxi preserves three of the finest surviving Liao buildings, each possessing exceptional architectural and research value.
"Timber-frame construction, defined by its wooden framework, dougong bracket system and mortise-and-tenon joints, is one of the most distinctive achievements of Chinese civilization," he says. "The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, for example, demonstrates remarkable innovation through its alternating bright and hidden structural layers, reflecting ancient builders' exploration of stability in tall wooden buildings."
Treasure house
Shanxi is widely regarded as a treasure house of ancient Chinese architecture. According to Wang, every major surviving Tang Dynasty timber structure is located in the province, and wooden structures from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960) period, Song Dynasty, Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) here account for more than 70 percent of the nation's surviving examples from each period.
Wooden structures from before the Yuan Dynasty make up 82.5 percent of the national total.
"Although Shanxi also has the largest number of surviving Liao Dynasty wooden structures, they account for only 37.5 percent of the national total," Wang says. "The province's three surviving examples are exceptionally valuable and were included among China's first group of nationally protected cultural relics in 1961."
As a young architectural creator and international cultural communicator, Yaputra believes the preservation of ancient architecture should resonate with today's generation.
"Young people today cannot simply repeat the construction methods of ancient craftsmen," he says. "Every era has its own cultural mission, and new technologies and fresh perspectives are how contemporary society can continue this cultural legacy.
"I have the deepest respect for the generations of architects, conservators and researchers devoted to restoring and studying ancient buildings," he says. "Their dedication has preserved the construction techniques of these thousand-year-old Liao structures, providing invaluable physical references for architecture students and researchers around the world."
Chinese architectural illustrator Qin Zhizhen and his team have developed cultural products inspired by the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and other historic Shanxi buildings, including refrigerator magnets, blind boxes and collectible figurines, bringing ancient architecture closer to the public through creative design.
"The exhibition allows visitors to understand the timber structures and construction techniques much more clearly," Qin says. "I began by illustrating ancient buildings, but paintings are difficult to carry, and architecture is inherently three-dimensional. That inspired me to create miniature replicas that could become refrigerator magnets or blind-box figurines.
"My goal is to develop collections based on different regions, beginning with Shanxi. Once those are complete, I'll continue with the remaining Liao Dynasty structures," he adds.
Qin Yuning, a 30-year-old doctor from Beijing, had previously visited the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Temple in Datong before touring the exhibition.
"This is my first visit to Shanxi, and I've been deeply impressed by how well the province has preserved its ancient architectural heritage," he says. "The exhibition has greatly expanded my understanding of Liao Dynasty wooden architecture. The models faithfully re-create the painted facades, exposed beam frameworks and dougong brackets, making the buildings' internal structural logic far easier to understand than through photographs or written descriptions alone."
Reporter：Zhu Xingxin and Zhou Huiying
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