INGENIEUR
INGENIEUR
Photo 12a : Typical timber houses of Chengyang Sanjiang Dong ’ s architecture
The structure of the tower is made up of wood without using any nail but structurally intact and stable . It has four floors with viewing stands , with the highest one located at the 25 th floor . The wooden tower is 42.6m high with 27 floors tapering upwards with tile-eaves resembling the shape of a pine tree . Each of the four main pillars of the tower is over 70cm in diameter .
Construction of Dong village houses
Almost all the houses are built with Chinese fir timber , with some as high as four storeys . One typical Dong architectural feature is the ‘ hanging pillar ’, with the first floor timber column pointing downward . It is part of the wooden column extending below the first floor for about one meter long .
The older houses , built of fir wood , are usually two or three storeys high . Those located on steep slopes or riverbanks were built on stilts with people living on the upper floors while the ground floor is for domestic animals and firewood storage . In the old days , landlords and rich peasants lived in bigger houses with engraved beams and painted columns . The Dongs sited their houses based on Fengsui belief . To them , houses must face the river with mountain to the back of the houses . With that , the wealth will flow from the front into the house and not the other way . The mountain at the back implies strong backing .
Photo 12b : A house under construction . Notice the tall round timber trunks as columns with lateral beams piercing through them .
Dong local cultures
Sanjiang has been named “ home of one hundred festivals ”. Some traditional festivals are inherited
Photo 12c : Scenic village houses against the backdrop of serene environment . Houses were designed to face the river with the mountain at the back as per their fengsui belief .
78 VOL 95 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2023