南方建筑Issue(5)：66-75,10.DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1000-0232.2026.05.007
清代广府核心区民间营造尺度设计法则初探
A Preliminary Study of the Dimensioning Rules of Vernacular Architecture in the Core Area of Cantonese Prefecture in the Qing Dynasty:Base on Huang Clan Genealogy and Other Documents in Foshan
摘要
Abstract
Different from the well-known classical Chinese wooden framework system,traditional Cantonese architecture was generally designed and built by brickmason and employed a gable wall bearing structure.Questions regarding how to measure and whether specific rules exist for dimensioning have long remained to be clarified.Given the loss of traditional artisanal knowledge and the lack of evidence for researching original dimensions of existing examples,collecting and analyzing historical documents containing design dimension information is a reliable and effective method. The newly discovered Huang Clan Genealogy,which contains architecture design documents that date back to 1831 for a small ancestral hall and a house in Foshan,the core area of Cantonese region,provides bountiful detailed design dimensions for analysis.These documents is believed to reflect common local architectural practices during the mid-Qing period and thus holding significant value for the research. As the documents indicate,traditional Cantonese architecture does have its own measurement method and terminology unseen in the classical Chinese wooden framework system.Regarding floor plans,walls are depicted with double solid lines.Measurements are always taken from the surface of the wall,to define the actual space and the physical footprint of the walls.For height,as roof projection that characterize classical Chinese architecture seldom appear in traditional Cantonese architecture,measurements focus on only three points:the bottom of the front and rear eaves and the top of the wooden ridge beam,which is enough for the calculation of the minimum lateral area of the gable walls and the estimation of the quantity of bricks required.Compared to the space openness and flexibility in the classical wooden framework system,load bearing gable walls always divide and occupy the physical space,and therefore differ the logic of measurement. By analyzing the Huang Clan Genealogy documents with other local historical documents and empirical research findings,Three rules can be identified:Zhou Tong(周通),tile-width module,and integral chi(尺)rules,each with specific applications.Zhou Tong,once introduced from the Fengshui(风水)rules for gate measurement,is a nine cun(寸)dimension module along with its half,which now applies not only to the heights and lengths of the major rooms and corridors,but also to the width and length dimensions of the masterplan.Tile-width,seven cun in default though adjustable,is another major module that introduced by brickmason to regulate the widths of roof and the floor below.For other structures of lower ritual rank,such as kitchen and flower room,Their dimensions would simply be integral chi that equals ten cun.Building material specifications also correspond to these rules.The length of bricks corresponds to the thickness of double-cavity walls,which is approximately seven cun,matching the width of a tile;the thickness of triple-cavity walls corresponds to one chi.Stone blocks are typically one chi or nine cun wide,with a thickness of four to five cun,corresponding to Zhou Tong.Only wood specifications form a separate system,indicating that they were not a primary factor in architectural dimensioning.In summary,the structural differences between Cantonese gable wall bearing system and classical Chinese wooden framework system underpin the fundamental disparities in their specific dimension objectives and measurement methods.Nevertheless,their underlying ideas remain consistent,both exhibiting a tendency toward integer or its half,and the modularization of components. Base on several sources from documents or artisans,the application of these dimensioning principles can be traced from the early Qing Dynasty to the early Republican era.Geographically,sources were primarily concentrated in Canton Prefecture,with additional instances scattered nearby prefectures like Shaoguan,Zhaoqing and Gaozhou.As the book that introduced Zhou Tong rule was published in late Ming Dynasty and written by a Jiangxi native,This paper discuss the possibility of Jiangxi influence,whilst artisan knowledge and the length of ruler also indicate similar relation.The reasons why Zhou Tong rule became dominant in Cantonese architecture are also discussed,considering the increasing use of stone under subtropical coastal conditions,the precision of the modular system,and the cultural significance and practicality of the number"nine."关键词
营造/尺度/法式/模数/广府/民居Key words
Traditional Chinese Architecture/dimensioning/order/module/Cantonese/vernacular architecture分类
建筑与水利引用本文复制引用
禤文昊..清代广府核心区民间营造尺度设计法则初探[J].南方建筑,2026,(5):66-75,10.基金项目
国家自然科学基金资助项目(52578018):南海海岸带聚落与建筑适海特征及其技术原理研究. （52578018）
