fluktor -|||- study - office - newsletter October 29, 2005

Building of 1,400-year-old bridge celebrated
www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 19:26:21

SHIJIAZHUANG, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- China is organizing a string of commemorative activities to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the building of a bridge located at Zhaoxian County in north China's Hebei Province.

The Anji Bridge, also known as the Zhaozhou Bridge across the Xiaohe River, is a large one-arch stone bridge built between 595 and 605 in the Sui Dynasty (581-618).

The bridge, designed by stonemason Li Chun, is unique in design and structure and graceful in appearance, said Zhang Junwei, a deputy head of the Zhaoxian County.

It is 64.4 meters long and the span of the arch is 37.02 meters. "It is the best preserved one-arch bridge with the longest history and the largest span in the world," Zhang said.

The bridge has withstood nine fierce wars, eight major earthquakes and innumerable floods. It still stands firm today and is in unscathed magnificence.

In 1991, the American Society of Civil Engineers confirmed the bridge as an "international historic site for civil engineering," running parallel in fame with Pyramid, Panama Canal and Eiffel Tower.

According to Zhang, the Zhaoxian County government will hold a nine-day commemorative activities that started Thursday to mark the building anniversary of the old bridge.

During the period, the government will issue bridge-related stamps, albums of paintings and books and organize commemorative conferences as well as trade fairs.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3692369.htm

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Centuries-old village enlisted in world's most endangered sites
www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 18:24:22

KUNMING, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Tuanshan, a village 220 km south off Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, has been enlisted by the World Monuments Fund (WMF) as one of the 100 Most Endangered Places for the year of 2006.

John H. Stubbs, vice president of World Monuments Fund (WMF), made a special trip last Friday to Kunming to grant a certificate to a government official of Jianshui County which administers over Tuanshan Village.

"Tuanshan is the most beautiful village where the architectural style of the 19th century and beyond remains intact and the distinctive way of people's life is preserved, fully showcasing China's indigenous cultural characteristics," said Mr. Stubbs, "We put Tuanshan on our Watch List because we believe it is of world value and is the common heritage of the whole humankind."

Apart from Tuanshan, five other Chinese sites were also included by WMF, a non-profit international organization based in New York, in its watch list for the year of 2006.

According to historical records, under the rein of Hongwu during the era of the first Emperor Ming Taizu, or Zhu Yuanzhang (1368-1398) of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), an ethnic Han tribe of Zhang descendants migrated all the way from east China's Jiangxi Province to Yunnan and settled down in Tuanshan Village, living peacefully together with the people of the Yi ethnic group.

And the cultural blend of the Han ethnicity, or known as the Chinese, and the ethnic Yi people is ubiquitous in the architecture features preserved till today in Tuanshan, where there live 240 families, with 920 people in all.

The building structures in Tuanshan, most of which were built in late imperial Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), are unique two-storey compounds with houses around courtyards, facing the east for the front direction and featuring black tile roofs, pointed eaves, whitewashed outer walls.

Nevertheless, factors such as the increased human activities in the village, bugbites to wooden structures and erosion by weathering with the stone engravings, as well as pollution constitute pressures to the protection of the centuries-old village.

"The contradiction between the limited space, limited capacities and the ever increasing number of residents in the village has become stark," said Huang Ming, a senior urban planner,"Congestion, pollution and noise all adversely affect the tranquility of the ancient secluded village and disturb the daily life of local residents."

Zhang Jiannong, an official in charge of cultural affairs with Jianshui County, said that along with changes in residents' concepts of lifestyle in Tuanshan Village, the existing infrastructure and environment of living could no longer sustain the growing need of a modern life, or cater to a demand from developing modern industrialized economy.

In the meantime, more and more residents in the village turn to new ways and materials in home repairs at their own cost, thus halting the continuity in the traditional architecture style in the village, said Zhang.

While echoing urban planner Huang Ming's view that the main problem Tuanshan Village is now facing is contradictions between the ever expanding population and the worsening environment, Zhang contended it was hard to strike a balance between the two.

"Unplanned construction of bungalows as a result of overpopulation will ruin the village, but relocation of extra villagers will eventually lead to the loss of the unique lifestyle and folkways of Tuanshan Villagers," Zhang worried.

Jianshui county government worked out in 2004 a detailed plan pertaining to the protection of centuries-old Tuanshan Village from extinction. Meanwhile, a new residential area will open to take in residents relocated from Tuanshan Village whose residents can only be confined to 104 families, with a total of 504 people.

However, an acute finance shortage has put all the protective measures in a dilemma.

Pu Meiqing, chief of Construction Bureau of Jianshui County, hoped that the inclusion of Tuanshan Village into the watch list of the World Most Endangered Sites could help increase publicity of the ancient village and draw the attention of general public to it, and bring in some financial aid for its protection.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3692213.htm

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Vietnam unearths 2,000-year-old bronze drum
www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 13:39:02

HANOI, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- A bronze drum and a bronze jar datedback some 2,000 years ago have just been found in northern Vietnam, local newspaper People reported Thursday.

The bronze, unearthed in northern Hai Duong province by local residents on Sunday when they were building roads, is 42.5 cm in height, and 56.7 cm in diameter of its bottom. It belonged to the Dong Son Culture, important prehistoric culture of Indochina, which is named for a village in northern Vietnam where many of itsremains have been found.

The jar's height is 41.5 cm, and its biggest diameter stands at35.5 cm. Both the antiques are not intact.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3690675.htm

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Eastern Zhou grave pit unearthed in Luoyang
www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-26 13:51:52

[image] Archaeologists and workers excavate cultural relics from an Eastern Zhou Dynasty grave that was found in Luoyang of Central China's Henan Province on October 25, 2005. Bronzeware, jade, and horse pit unearthed from the burial site are in good shape, which is peculiar in this ancient city of Luoyang, as usually 90 percent of the graves are empty upon discovery. [newsphoto]

[image] According to the experts, it is a a scholar-bureaucrat's grave in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256BC) judging from the funerary objects. All the relics have been sent to a safe place and further excavation is being carried out around the site.

[image] Two worker clear up the relics in the newly unearthed pit. [newsphoto]

[image] The horse-and-vehicle pit excavated in this cultural relics discovery [newsphoto]

[image] Newly excavated bronze wares are tagged and classified. [newsphoto]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/26/content_3685792.htm

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Ruling center of Tang Dynasty to be restored
www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-25 16:03:13

XI'AN, Oct. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- China will invest heavily in restoring Daming Palace, the ruling center of the Tang Dynasty dating back 1,100 years, and will build a park there.

The palace is similar to the Yuanmingyuan Palace of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in terms of historical value and size. The project is expected to be completed in five years, according to sources with the Xi'an Department of Cultural Heritage in Shaanxi Province

The palace covers an area of 3.5 square kilometers. It was the largest of the three major palaces in Chang'an, the then capital of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It had served as the political center for the Tang emperors for about 240 years.

Chinese archeologists have been restoring Hanyuan Hall, Linde Hall Sanqing Hall, the palace gates and an imperial road at the site. The site was first excavated in 1959 and put under state protection in 1961. No high rises have been allowed to be built there since then.

Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, commenced construction of the Daming Palace for his retired father, Li Yuan, in 634 in the northeastern part of Chang'an, basically today's Xi'an.

Later, in 663, Li Zhi, the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty, completed construction on the Daming Palace, and moved his court there from the former imperial palace of Taiji, making the Daming Palace the political center of the dynasty.

The palace was abandoned after the Tang Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, basically at today's city of Luoyang in Henan Province, in 904.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/25/content_3681920.htm

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Ancient art works excavated from Java Sea
www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 10:01:51

Rare Chinese art works excavated from Java Sea (1)
A rare ceramic from China's Five Dynasties period from 907 to 960 AD excavated from an an ancient cargo which sunk more than 1,000 years ago in the Java Sea.

[7 images]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3689707_6.htm

__________________

with kind regards,

Matthias Arnold
(Art-Eastasia list)

http://www.chinaresource.org
http://www.fluktor.de

__________________________________________

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	October 29, 2005: [achtung! kunst] archaeology : Anji Bridge 1400 years - Tuanshan one of the 100 Most Endangered Places - 2000 years Bronze drum

	Building of 1,400-year-old bridge celebrated www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 19:26:21 SHIJIAZHUANG, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- China is organizing a string of commemorative activities to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the building of a bridge located at Zhaoxian County in north China's Hebei Province. The Anji Bridge, also known as the Zhaozhou Bridge across the Xiaohe River, is a large one-arch stone bridge built between 595 and 605 in the Sui Dynasty (581-618). The bridge, designed by stonemason Li Chun, is unique in design and structure and graceful in appearance, said Zhang Junwei, a deputy head of the Zhaoxian County. It is 64.4 meters long and the span of the arch is 37.02 meters. "It is the best preserved one-arch bridge with the longest history and the largest span in the world," Zhang said. The bridge has withstood nine fierce wars, eight major earthquakes and innumerable floods. It still stands firm today and is in unscathed magnificence. In 1991, the American Society of Civil Engineers confirmed the bridge as an "international historic site for civil engineering," running parallel in fame with Pyramid, Panama Canal and Eiffel Tower. According to Zhang, the Zhaoxian County government will hold a nine-day commemorative activities that started Thursday to mark the building anniversary of the old bridge. During the period, the government will issue bridge-related stamps, albums of paintings and books and organize commemorative conferences as well as trade fairs. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3692369.htm ************************* Centuries-old village enlisted in world's most endangered sites www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 18:24:22 KUNMING, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Tuanshan, a village 220 km south off Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, has been enlisted by the World Monuments Fund (WMF) as one of the 100 Most Endangered Places for the year of 2006. John H. Stubbs, vice president of World Monuments Fund (WMF), made a special trip last Friday to Kunming to grant a certificate to a government official of Jianshui County which administers over Tuanshan Village. "Tuanshan is the most beautiful village where the architectural style of the 19th century and beyond remains intact and the distinctive way of people's life is preserved, fully showcasing China's indigenous cultural characteristics," said Mr. Stubbs, "We put Tuanshan on our Watch List because we believe it is of world value and is the common heritage of the whole humankind." Apart from Tuanshan, five other Chinese sites were also included by WMF, a non-profit international organization based in New York, in its watch list for the year of 2006. According to historical records, under the rein of Hongwu during the era of the first Emperor Ming Taizu, or Zhu Yuanzhang (1368-1398) of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), an ethnic Han tribe of Zhang descendants migrated all the way from east China's Jiangxi Province to Yunnan and settled down in Tuanshan Village, living peacefully together with the people of the Yi ethnic group. And the cultural blend of the Han ethnicity, or known as the Chinese, and the ethnic Yi people is ubiquitous in the architecture features preserved till today in Tuanshan, where there live 240 families, with 920 people in all. The building structures in Tuanshan, most of which were built in late imperial Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), are unique two-storey compounds with houses around courtyards, facing the east for the front direction and featuring black tile roofs, pointed eaves, whitewashed outer walls. Nevertheless, factors such as the increased human activities in the village, bugbites to wooden structures and erosion by weathering with the stone engravings, as well as pollution constitute pressures to the protection of the centuries-old village. "The contradiction between the limited space, limited capacities and the ever increasing number of residents in the village has become stark," said Huang Ming, a senior urban planner,"Congestion, pollution and noise all adversely affect the tranquility of the ancient secluded village and disturb the daily life of local residents." Zhang Jiannong, an official in charge of cultural affairs with Jianshui County, said that along with changes in residents' concepts of lifestyle in Tuanshan Village, the existing infrastructure and environment of living could no longer sustain the growing need of a modern life, or cater to a demand from developing modern industrialized economy. In the meantime, more and more residents in the village turn to new ways and materials in home repairs at their own cost, thus halting the continuity in the traditional architecture style in the village, said Zhang. While echoing urban planner Huang Ming's view that the main problem Tuanshan Village is now facing is contradictions between the ever expanding population and the worsening environment, Zhang contended it was hard to strike a balance between the two. "Unplanned construction of bungalows as a result of overpopulation will ruin the village, but relocation of extra villagers will eventually lead to the loss of the unique lifestyle and folkways of Tuanshan Villagers," Zhang worried. Jianshui county government worked out in 2004 a detailed plan pertaining to the protection of centuries-old Tuanshan Village from extinction. Meanwhile, a new residential area will open to take in residents relocated from Tuanshan Village whose residents can only be confined to 104 families, with a total of 504 people. However, an acute finance shortage has put all the protective measures in a dilemma. Pu Meiqing, chief of Construction Bureau of Jianshui County, hoped that the inclusion of Tuanshan Village into the watch list of the World Most Endangered Sites could help increase publicity of the ancient village and draw the attention of general public to it, and bring in some financial aid for its protection. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3692213.htm *********************** Vietnam unearths 2,000-year-old bronze drum www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 13:39:02 HANOI, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- A bronze drum and a bronze jar datedback some 2,000 years ago have just been found in northern Vietnam, local newspaper People reported Thursday. The bronze, unearthed in northern Hai Duong province by local residents on Sunday when they were building roads, is 42.5 cm in height, and 56.7 cm in diameter of its bottom. It belonged to the Dong Son Culture, important prehistoric culture of Indochina, which is named for a village in northern Vietnam where many of itsremains have been found. The jar's height is 41.5 cm, and its biggest diameter stands at35.5 cm. Both the antiques are not intact. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3690675.htm *********************** Eastern Zhou grave pit unearthed in Luoyang www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-26 13:51:52 [image] Archaeologists and workers excavate cultural relics from an Eastern Zhou Dynasty grave that was found in Luoyang of Central China's Henan Province on October 25, 2005. Bronzeware, jade, and horse pit unearthed from the burial site are in good shape, which is peculiar in this ancient city of Luoyang, as usually 90 percent of the graves are empty upon discovery. [newsphoto] [image] According to the experts, it is a a scholar-bureaucrat's grave in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256BC) judging from the funerary objects. All the relics have been sent to a safe place and further excavation is being carried out around the site. [image] Two worker clear up the relics in the newly unearthed pit. [newsphoto] [image] The horse-and-vehicle pit excavated in this cultural relics discovery [newsphoto] [image] Newly excavated bronze wares are tagged and classified. [newsphoto] http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/26/content_3685792.htm *********************** Ruling center of Tang Dynasty to be restored www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-25 16:03:13 XI'AN, Oct. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- China will invest heavily in restoring Daming Palace, the ruling center of the Tang Dynasty dating back 1,100 years, and will build a park there. The palace is similar to the Yuanmingyuan Palace of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in terms of historical value and size. The project is expected to be completed in five years, according to sources with the Xi'an Department of Cultural Heritage in Shaanxi Province The palace covers an area of 3.5 square kilometers. It was the largest of the three major palaces in Chang'an, the then capital of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It had served as the political center for the Tang emperors for about 240 years. Chinese archeologists have been restoring Hanyuan Hall, Linde Hall Sanqing Hall, the palace gates and an imperial road at the site. The site was first excavated in 1959 and put under state protection in 1961. No high rises have been allowed to be built there since then. Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, commenced construction of the Daming Palace for his retired father, Li Yuan, in 634 in the northeastern part of Chang'an, basically today's Xi'an. Later, in 663, Li Zhi, the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty, completed construction on the Daming Palace, and moved his court there from the former imperial palace of Taiji, making the Daming Palace the political center of the dynasty. The palace was abandoned after the Tang Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, basically at today's city of Luoyang in Henan Province, in 904. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/25/content_3681920.htm ************************* Ancient art works excavated from Java Sea www.chinaview.cn 2005-10-27 10:01:51 Rare Chinese art works excavated from Java Sea (1) A rare ceramic from China's Five Dynasties period from 907 to 960 AD excavated from an an ancient cargo which sunk more than 1,000 years ago in the Java Sea. [7 images] http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/27/content_3689707_6.htm __________________ with kind regards, Matthias Arnold (Art-Eastasia list) http://www.chinaresource.org http://www.fluktor.de __________________________________________ An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is available at: http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/art-eastasia.html For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to: http://www.fluktor.de/study/office/newsletter.htm