建筑哲学第 3 课

Stone can be used to fashion and work stone, 石头的塑形和加工 可用石头来处理
as early Britons must have done to build Stonehenge. 古英国人建造巨石石柱时 必是这么做
But iron tools were necessary for wood carving and joinery. 但木头雕刻和细木工艺的制作需要用铁制工具
And with such tools, however primitive, wood construction was much easier than construction in stone. 尽管工具原始 木造建筑远比石造建筑容易

Western cultures began their architecture without iron tools. 西方建筑开始时没有铁制工具
So they started in stone and brick and continued building with these materials. 因此一开始即以石头和 砖块来建屋，此后一直沿用
The Chinese, on the other hand, began building with wood and continued to do so for 6,000 years, 中国人一开始则采用木材 沿袭了6千年
starting with the basic Chinese house which was first developed on the flood plain
of the yellow river. 初民在黄河泛滥区域 建造简易房舍

In areas prone to flooding, this structure was raised on pilings. 水患频仍之处 房舍架高在桩上
In the central yellow river valley of China it rested on solid platform. 黄河流域中部地区 房舍则建在坚实的台基上

Stone bases for each column, twice the diameter of the column, 柱底柱础的直径是柱子的2倍
were placed on this platform, 石墩建在台基上
then the column raised on top of this. 柱子再立在石墩上

So, the elevation of a Chinese building has three elements: 因此中国建筑的立面图 有3个基素
the podium underneath, the columns in between and big roof resting on top of the columns. 底下的台基中间的柱子和柱顶的大屋顶

Four columns form what is called a bay; 4个柱子形成1个耳房
groups of bays then form the different types of buildings. 不同的耳房组合形成 各种形式的建筑
From the earliest times the Chinese separated the supporting from the enclosing elements of a building. 中国人从一开始就把建物的支撑力与围墙功能分开
This meant the interior columns supported the roof weight completely, 由内部的柱子 支撑屋顶的全部重量
while the walls were just for privacy and protection from the elements. 墙的作用只在 维护隐私和遮风避雨

In a country plagued by powerful earthquakes, 中国常受强烈地震肆虐
the Chinese didn't build solid walls, 因此中国人不建坚固的墙壁
which could be cracked and rent apart by an upheaval of the earth's crust, 地壳隆起时，墙壁会裂开
but rather they built flexible structures without using glue or nails. 他们建造具弹性的建筑 完全不用黏胶或钉子
These structures could ride the heaving earth like a boat, shifting and settling back, 这种建筑在地震时 能像船一样移位又弹回来
with the platform acting almost like a raft. 其台基的作用类似筏

Heavy roofs with tiles were supported by columns built of white fir 沉重的铺瓦屋顶 由白枞制的柱子支撑
which was four times stronger than steel, 白枞木的强度是钢的4倍
and six times more flexible than concrete. 韧性比水泥高6倍

It was the beginning of an architecture of great beauty, elegance and practicality. 中国建筑自开始就美伦美奂 典雅实用

The first feature of a Chinese building 中国建筑最引人注目的特征
that usually impresses a visitor is the elegant, sweeping and seemingly gigantic roof. 通常是典雅，倾斜上扬 和巨大的屋顶