Structural Preservation of Chinese Architectural Heritage

Abstract

Two documents issued by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), The Principles for the Analysis, Conservation and Structural Restoration of Architectural Heritage (Structures Principles), 2003, and The Principles for Conservation of Heritage in China (China Principles), published in 2002 and formally promoted in 2005, will impact greatly on historic building conservation practice in China.To date, the approach to intervention on historic buildings in China, which can be summarized as ‘no change to originality’, has been strongly determined by both the fabric of Chinese architecture and customary Chinese engineering practice. The China Principles integrates traditional intervention philosophy with up-to-date international concepts on conservation, and provides a practical guidance for preservation activities in China. However, the increased involvement of structural engineers in heritage work since the 1980s has led to the promotion of the Structures Principles, which aids a systematic approach to the structural diagnosis and analysis of a historic building. This paper discusses how the aspects addressed in the Structures Principles and the China Principles could be assimilated into Chinese architectural heritage conservation. The paper also outlines the absence in both documents of guidelines for some specific issues concerning intervention strategies, diversity of heritage categories and specific materials, and finally identifies areas for further work.