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I love to explore a new town by wondering its streets early in the morning. Clay joined me in Pingyao, actually I wanted to help him find a catholic church. We walked around the side streets of Pingyao for an hour, taking turns that led us through small narrow roads. One wrong tern led us down a narrow maze like alleyway that ended in a small family courtyard. The mother standing in her door was shocked to see two big white men standing in her garden.
Unfortunately, we did not find the catholic church, but we did find a regional sporting event, that with color flags, charming children and welcoming adults was too attractive to pass up. As you can see Clay was a big hit with the press and the organizers.
edited by jdarrough on 10/2/2012
edited by jdarrough on 10/2/2012
edited by jdarrough on 10/2/2012
The construction of the houses in Pingyao were very interesting. For you could see the evolution of the post and beam construction technique. In the picture, the posts are the large round wooden vertical supports that are holding up the beams that in tern hold up the tile roof. That is the standard construction technique all through out east asia.
However, over time you can see the evolution to brick. At first it was used as an insulation and to increase shear strength to the building but did not carry load of the roof. The weight of the roof was still being held up by the post. It was as if the builders didn't trust the strength of the brick. Or convention or culture prevented them from changing to brick.
Then I discovered about half a block from our hotel, workers were demolishing an old building and exposed the next step in the evolution. You can see in the image below that the ancient builders started to enclose the post inside the bricks, that way they could use an imperfect post, covered it over with brick. By doing that the brick wall looks good, its cheap and strong. If you look closely you will see that they still used the tongue and grove to attach the post and beam together.
edited by jdarrough on 10/2/2012
edited by jdarrough on 10/2/2012
edited by jdarrough on 10/4/2012
traditional east asia construction technique: post and beam. Not a brick in sight, very expensive, not very sable, with a low shear streingh, that would rack from side to side in a strong wind. That is why the heavy sport beams in the third photograph
edited by jdarrough on 10/4/2012
