Abstract:
In an interview with China News Service, Professor Han Dong-su of the School of Architecture at Hanyang University noted that timber architecture of China’s Tang Dynasty represents one of the foundational pillars of East Asian wooden architecture, exerting profound influence on the historical architectural development of both Korea and Japan. From spatial composition and structural aesthetics to component design, Tang architectural heritage continues to serve as a major source of inspiration for East Asian architectural practice today.

 

Throughout the history of East Asian architecture, timber structures from China’s Tang Dynasty have occupied a central position due to their monumental presence, structural stability, and distinctive aesthetic language. In an exclusive interview for China News Service’s East-West Inquiry program, Professor Han Dong-su of Hanyang University elaborated on the far-reaching impact of Tang Dynasty timber architecture on traditional Korean architecture.

 

Professor Han explained that Tang architecture is characterized by strength, solidity, and exceptional structural balance. Surviving examples such as the Main Hall of Foguang Temple vividly demonstrate the unique sense of power and dynamic form associated with Tang construction. Archaeological discoveries further support this historical connection. Architectural components dating to the Three Kingdoms period on the Korean Peninsula—such as decorative chiwei roof ornaments unearthed in former Baekje territories—show striking similarities to components used in Tang Dynasty Chang’an, indicating close cultural and technological exchange during the period.

 

Regarding the transmission of architectural influence, Professor Han suggested that within the East Asian architectural sphere, the Tang Dynasty functioned as the original source of architectural culture, while the Korean Peninsula played an intermediary role, and Japan absorbed and further reinterpreted these traditions. He specifically highlighted that certain ancient Chinese techniques, such as ce jiao (subtle corner inclinations) and sheng qi (roof curvature adjustments), which largely disappeared in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, were preserved and widely applied in architecture of Korea’s Joseon period. This reflects the technical continuity and adaptive inheritance embedded in traditional Korean construction practices.

 

At the same time, Korean architecture did not simply replicate Tang models. Professor Han summarized three defining characteristics of traditional Korean architecture: first, an emphasis on the expressive beauty of lines; second, the philosophy of “using irregular materials appropriately,” referring to the strategic use of naturally curved timber in structurally optimal positions; and third, a strong visual and structural emphasis on roof mass, achieved through the use of larger and heavier timber members.

 

This architectural exchange spanning more than a millennium not only deepens our understanding of contemporary timber construction through historical perspective, but also creates cultural resonance for present-day cooperation between China and Korea in green building and modern timber engineering technologies.

 

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Source:
China News Service
http://www.sx.chinanews.com.cn/news/2026/0331/247813.html