{"id":8921,"date":"2019-11-14T09:45:40","date_gmt":"2019-11-14T09:45:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-reading\/liji-li-ji-quot-the-book-of-rites-quot\/"},"modified":"2019-11-14T09:45:40","modified_gmt":"2019-11-14T09:45:40","slug":"liji-li-ji-quot-the-book-of-rites-quot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/vi\/liji-li-ji-quot-the-book-of-rites-quot\/","title":{"rendered":"Liji \u793c\u8bb0 "The Book of Rites""},"content":{"rendered":"
 The Lu Ban jing \u9c81\u73ed\u7ecf "Lu Ban’s classic" is a handbook on architecture. It is also known by the name of Xinjuan jingban go<\/em>ngshi diaozhuo zhengshi Lu Ban mujing jiangjia jing \u65b0\u954c\u4eac\u7248\u5de5\u5e08\u96d5\u65b5\u6b63\u5f0f\u9c81\u73ed\u6728\u7ecf\u5320\u5bb6\u955c "Mirror of woodwork craftsmen by Lu Ban, providing correct models for chiseling and cutting work of the artisan master; newly edited in the capital", or shortlyLu Ban jing jiangjia jing \u9c81\u73ed\u7ecf\u5320\u5bb6\u955c "Mirror of craftsmanship and guidelines by Lu Ban". The whole text is 3 juan "scrolls" long and has an appendix of charts. The classic is attributed to a certain Lu Ban, original name Go<\/em>ngshu Ban \u516c\u8f93\u822c, who lived during the Spring and Autumn period\u6625\u79cb (770-5th cent. BCE) in the state of Lu \u9c81. The book was in fact compiled during the Ming period \u660e (1368-1644). In one version, a certain Wu Rong \u5348\u8363 is mentio<\/em>ned as the compiler of the text, Zhang Yanquan \u7ae0\u4e25\u5168 as a redactor, and Zhou Yan \u5468\u8a00 as a revising editor.<\/p>\n

The Lu Ban jing introduces the rules, the system and the ceremo<\/em>nies of the trade associations, the various steps of building construction, and the method of selecing auspicious days. It explains the application of the "true foot" (zhenchi \u771f\u5c3a, a length measure). It provides an overview of the measures and standards of furniture and agricultural tool, as well as the shapes and designations of structural parts of timber used for building. Although technical details are dealt with rather superficially, the book gives insight into the practice of co<\/em>nstruction craftsmanship among the common people in traditio<\/em>nal China. The first juan begins with Lu Ban’s travels and ends with the des<\/em>cription of the co<\/em>nstruction of pavillions. The second juanbegins with granaries and ends with the des<\/em>cription of a chess board. It includes paragraphs a<\/em>bout all kinds of buildings, furniture and daily utensils made of wood. The third juan is co<\/em>ncerned with mantical practice used in the co<\/em>nstruction of buildings. Although it can be rated as superstition, it provides interesting information a<\/em>bout ancient Chinese religious and cosmological beliefs.<\/p>\n

The modules and co<\/em>nstruction methods described in the Lu Ban jing can still be seen in traditio<\/em>nal buildings of the southeastern provinces of China. The same is valid for furniture and the use of the "true foot".<\/p>\n

The Lu Ban jing has survived in two different versions, one printed during the Wanli reign \u4e07\u5386 (1573-1620), the other from the Cho<\/em>ngzhen reign \u5d07\u796f (1628-1644). Of the Wanli version the greatest part of the first juan is lost, but it is a very precious copy because the charts are printed with great care. The Cho<\/em>ngzhen version has four paragraphs more co<\/em>ncerning several tools, especially transport carts, yet the drawings are not as excellent as in the Wanli version. The texts of the two versions are identical.<\/p>\n

There was another book from the mid-Ming period called Lu Ban yingzao zhengshi \u9c81\u73ed\u8425\u9020\u6b63\u5f0f "Lu Ban’s standard models for architecture", which deals o<\/em>nly with the co<\/em>nstruction of buildings.
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