2.中國古建築木結構的特點是什麼？
What are the features of the timber framework in ancient Chinese architecture?
Ancient Chinese buildings use timber extensively as a building material in addition to bricks and tiles. Chinese wood represents“life.”Moreover, timber was easily available, transportable and practical at that time. The timber framework consists mainly of wooden vertical pillars and crossbeams. They are perfectly interlocked with brackets so that the whole weight of a house is transferred to its foundations through the pillars, beams, lintels and joists. Walls bear no load; they only separate space. The timber framework supports most of the weight of the house. There is an old saying that,“A house still stand even if its walls collapse (牆倒屋不塌).”
Two things are worth attention when you view ancient buildings. One is the wooden tenon (榫), and the end of a piece of wood perfectly shaped to fit into a corresponding wooden mortise (卯) in another piece of wood. This technique was invented 7,000 years ago. The other is the system of support brackets, called dougong (鬥拱). These are wooden brackets on the top of a column to support the crossbeam; they rise up level by level from each pillar. These brackets both support the structure and are also a distinctive and attractive ornamentation. This invention came into being about 2,000 years ago, during the Warring States Period.
Notes：1）extensively廣大地；2）tile瓦；3）transportable可運輸的；4）practical實際的；5）crossbeam橫梁；6）interlock使連鎖；7）bracket托架；8）lintel楣石；9）joist托梁；10）tenon榫；11）corresponding相應的；12）mortise卯；13）column圓柱；14）crossbeam橫梁