http://en.wikipedia....he_Song_Dynasty
...but there is great description of the Yingzao Fashi (營造法式) architectural building manual of the Song Dynasty written by the official and author Li Jie (1065-1110 AD). There are also great pictures from his original work published in 1103 AD. The separate article can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia....i/Yingzao_Fashi
Look at some of the diagrams from his book (I uploaded these pictures to wiki); some of them are strikingly modern looking for a building manual that was compiled 9 centuries ago.
^ A diagram of three corbel bracket assemblies in an illustration of a cross-section of a Chinese hall. This is an original picture from the Yingzao Fashi standard building manual published by the Chinese official and architect Li Jie in the year 1103, during the Song Dynasty. The curving profile of purlines and the consequent curve of the roof line is well seen. Lever arms are also present.
^ Bracket arm clusters containing cantilevers, drawings from the Chinese building manual of the Yingzao Fashi.
^ Tenon and mortice work; forms of jointing in tie beams or cross beams, from the Chinese building manual of the Yingzao Fashi.
^ Working drawings of three transverse corbel brackets, from the Chinese building manual of the Yingzao Fashi.
^ Working drawings of five different bracket arm bases and two cantilever arms, from the Chinese building manual of the Yingzao Fashi.
Pretty neat, huh?
Eric
