Carpentry and Building in Late Imperial China: A Study of the Fifteenth-Century Carpenter's Manual, Lu Ban jing (Sinica Leidensia, Vol. 23)

This volume deals with the world of carpenters and joiners in late Imperial China, discussing both the technical and the religious and ritual aspects of building. It uses the 15th-century carpenter's manual, "Lu Ban jing" as its source. The first part of the book examines building materials, the life of labourers and craftsmen, and the process or building a house. Subjects included are the choice of favourable measurements, the ritual of raising the ridge pole, and the complete, annotated translation of the "Lu Ban jing", preceded by a bibliographic essay. The sections on furniture construction are especially important for the art historian. The book includes a facsimile of the illustrated earliest edition of the "Lu Ban jing", dating from 1600.