An Unprecedented Commemoration: Literature Exhibition Of The 120Th Anniversary Of Liang Sicheng'S Birth And A Letter From Lin Huiyin

Liang Sicheng inspected and surveyed Zhaozhou Bridge. Photo source: Art Museum of Tsinghua University

"Pillars: Literature Exhibition of the 120th anniversary of Liang Sicheng's birth" was held in the Art Museum of Tsinghua University until October 20, 2021.

Mr. Liang Sicheng has always had multiple shining IP and personnel, architect, educator, design leader of national emblem and monument of people's heroes; He is the protector of the ancient capital of Beijing, the eldest son of Liang Qichao, and the husband of Lin Huiyin.

Most of them are the latter three. To a certain extent, his great contribution to Chinese architectural history, architectural discipline and architectural cause has been obliterated by the stories that the general public are fond of talking about.

This exhibition starts with a clear meaning: this exhibition is an unprecedented Memorial planned by the academic circle to commemorate the founder and founder of Chinese architecture discipline and the scholar who has made great contributions to the protection, inheritance and development of Chinese culture.

The exhibition narrative is divided into five units: the first unit is learning and returning; Unit 2: writing the history of Chinese architecture and deciphering the heavenly script; Unit 3 urban planning and cultural heritage protection; Unit 4 design works and ideas; Unit 5 architectural education.

The 362 exhibits, including photos, drawings, letters, manuscripts, models, videos and space devices, are rare.

Mount Wutai Foguang temple. Photo source: Art Museum of Tsinghua University

"Discovered" the only existing wooden building of Tang Dynasty in China: Foguang temple in Wutai Mountain

There were no disciplines in Chinese architecture before. There were only two books about architecture in ancient Chinese books: Jianzao FA Shi by Li Jie in Song Dynasty and code of practice of Ministry of works in Qing Dynasty, which were very difficult for ordinary people to understand. Architectural skills are passed down from master to apprentice.

Mr. Liang Sicheng is one of the important founders of Chinese architecture. In 1931, he joined the Chinese construction society (as director of the French style department). In 1932, he presided over the restoration project of Wenyuan Pavilion in the Forbidden City. In the same year, he wrote the manuscript of "Qing style construction rules".

In the 1930s and 1940s, Liang Sicheng, Lin Huiyin, Mo Zongjiang and others visited more than 200 counties in 15 provinces of China, surveying and photographing more than 2000 pieces of ancient architectural relics preserved in Tang, song, Liao, Jin, yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It includes the Guanyin Pavilion in Jile temple, Guangji temple in Baodi, Longxing Temple in Zhengding, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in Shanxi, Huayan Temple and Shanhua temple in Datong, Anji bridge built in Sui Dynasty in Zhaozhou, Hebei Province, and Foguang temple in Wutai Mountain in Shanxi Province.

These surveying and mapping materials and pictures obtained from extensive field investigation are displayed on a large scale in this exhibition, which is amazing and can be called a startling glimpse of the history of Chinese architecture.

The "discovery" of Foguang temple is more precious. Foguang temple is the only known wooden building of Tang Dynasty in China. The exhibits include the surveying and mapping drawings of Foguang temple hall, the on-site surveying and mapping image data of Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, the Buddhist scriptures of Tang Dynasty by Lin Huiyin, and the group photo of "Ning Gongyu" statue in Foguang temple hall.

Lin Huiyin mapping Buddhist scriptures in Tang Dynasty source: Art Museum of Tsinghua University)

The discovery of Foguang temple is directly related to Dunhuang frescoes. Liang Sicheng once wrote "ancient Chinese architecture seen in Dunhuang frescoes" that "our knowledge of the image of wooden buildings in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties is extremely poor... The main historical materials are Dunhuang murals."

In Dunhuang frescoes, architecture is a common theme, because buildings are most commonly used as the background of various story paintings. From June to July of 1937, the investigation team of China construction society led by Liang Sicheng found the Foguang temple near waidou village, Nantai, based on the "Wutai Mountain map" in cave 61 of Dunhuang.

"There, we not only found a wooden structure of the Tang Dynasty, but also statues, murals and inscriptions of the Tang Dynasty. The four arts of the Tang Dynasty, calligraphy, painting, sculpture and construction, are all in one hall. As far as the author knows, this is only one case. At that time, when we studied the Foguang temple, Dunhuang murals were the main materials for comparison. Now, with Dunhuang as the theme, the main hall of Foguang temple is also We have indispensable comparative data, "Liang Sicheng wrote.

According to textual research, the main hall of Foguang temple was built in 857 ad, which belongs to the same period as the most pure land in Dunhuang. Liang Sicheng argued: "by comparing it with the buildings depicted in Dunhuang frescoes, we can know that the buildings in the paintings are faithful descriptions, which can prove the importance and reliability of the materials in the paintings."

In the letter, Lin Hui because of her daughter hand-painted Beiping to Shanxi road map. Photo source: Art Museum of Tsinghua University)

A letter from Lin Huiyin

In July 1937, Lin Huiyin wrote a letter to his eldest daughter, Liang Zaipeng. At this time, it was Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin who returned to Beiping after inspecting Wutai Mountain, which was also during the July 7 Incident of Lugouqiao.

In the letter, Lin Huiyin wrote, "I left Taiyuan to Mount Wutai on June 26, and there was no way for me to receive a letter from my family. My father and I couldn't get a letter. I couldn't even see a newspaper on the road, so I didn't know anything about the trouble between Japan and China. We rode a big car and a mule on the road. We went very slowly and worked hard, so we didn't get to Daixian until July 12, If there is a report, you can send a telegram. Only when you know something about the outside world. "

According to this letter, the "discovery" and surveying and mapping of Foguang temple was under such a great historical background, and the investigation conditions were very difficult, and once lost contact with the outside world.

The original copy of the letter provided by Liang Zaipeng also appears in this exhibit.

In the letter, Lin Huiyin earnestly instructs her daughter, and her family and country feelings are on the paper.

She explained to her daughter "the July 7 Incident" and "now I want to tell you what the Japanese are doing with us this time. You know they always want our" North China "place, and this time they are sending troops to attack us for little things!"

She and her daughter showed a firm attitude, "if the Japanese want to occupy Beiping, we are willing to fight. Then you will follow your aunt, and we will stay in Peiping until we win the war. I think we should be brave, not afraid of anything, and determined in everything." "You know your mother and father are both safe in Peiping. They are not afraid of war, not to mention Japan."

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