Asian Architecture Research Articles

Crafting theories about living heritage: the postcolonial condition of contemporary Asian architecture and urbanism as an Asian ‘display’

ABSTRACT Heritage usually represents how the past is valued today. This paper, however, introduces a new perspective based on historical materialism, which is evident in modern Asian architecture. It argues that contemporary Asian architecture moves away from traditional historicism and embraces different ways of relating to history. The paper explores the idea of “living heritage”, which is shaped by the postcolonial nature of current Asian architecture and urban planning. The core idea is that immediate historicity, the presence of appreciated historical values, creates a unique quality called “display-ness”. This concept involves not just physical, visual, and spatial aspects, but also how a place is institutionalised. As evidence, modern heritage is influenced by global political dynamics. In Asia, the quality of architecture has shifted from modernism to what might be called colonial modernity, showing a new focus on hybridity. By comparing Japan and Singapore, this paper illustrates this idea of display-ness, which suggests a blend of future urban developments and cultural history in the present.

India-Japan Relations @ 70: From Civilisational to Strategic Partnership

The rapidly changing strategic scenarios in Asia have increased Japan’s ties with India over the last few years. Major global and regional geo-political shifts have taken place in the contemporary world, which include the rise of China, the US policy of rebalancing and pivoting to Asia, and the response of regional countries, evolution of a new security architecture in Asia, maritime security challenges in Indian and Pacific Oceans, nuclear tests by North Korea, tensions on account of territorial disputes in South China Sea and East China, the evolution of ASEAN into an ASEAN community. In these contexts, the two Asian democracies have made concerted attempts to intensify their relationship at various levels- economic, strategic and political. Though the two countries had never exhibited much keenness in each other’s priorities, a confluence of various factors such as structural, domestic and individual leadership have given a new push to the bilateral relationship in recent years. The present paper attempts to examine and evaluate the changing dimensions of bilateral relations between the two Asian democracies against the backdrop of the Indo-Pacific region's evolving security and strategic scenarios.

Preface: Proceedings of The 2nd International Conference in Environmental Design, Urbanism, and Architecture in Asia (Eduarchsia) 2022

The 2nd International Conference in Environmental Design, Urbanism, and Architecture in Asia (Eduarchsia) 2022 has been hosted by the Department of Architecture at Islamic University of Indonesia. We honourably welcome our keynote and invited speakers Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Numan from Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University Istanbul, Turkey, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Altrock from the University of Kassel, Germany, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marcus Hackel from Wismar University, Germany, Prof. Matteo Motti, Ph.D. from Politecnico di Milano, Italy, Prof. Tetsu Kubota from Hiroshima University, Japan, Assist. Prof. Dr. Revianto Budi Santosa from Islamic University of Indonesia, and Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, Ph.D. from the University of Indonesia.Global challenges faced by humanity such as climatic change and more recently the pandemic situation has twofold impacts. On one hand, there is an increasing awareness that we share the earth as our common home, in which we all play the custodian roles, but also compete with one another for exploitation. On the other hand, we are facing an unprecedented degree of uncertainty which makes it difficult to establish a common platform of global knowledge and patterns of collaborations.This conference addresses the above situations by challenging the current knowledge and practices in architecture as a broad field of understanding and creating places for humans to thrive. A new way of understanding the earth as our common ground while maintaining the local existence is necessary in order to deal with the variety and uncertainty of the situations. Each locality or other forms of small groups should be able to respond to this with agility and to be ready to engage in larger collaborative efforts. Humanities should deal with these multiple uncertainties in a number of ways, remapping the knowledge, technology, practice and education. Re-defining the new concept of sustainability is essential to provide a more agile and flexible concept to deal with uncertainties, as well as a more comprehensive notion to include spiritual and cultural well-being of the people. The disparity of access of resources and knowledge are also discussed as overcoming these ever-widening gaps is necessary to achieve the goals, being supported among others by advanced and appropriate technologies.Environmental Health is being a serious issue to discuss as it directly faces the challenge of pandemic situation requiring a thorough re-consideration of architecture in many respects. This topic may encompasses the discussion on advanced-technology, the strategies devised in design and new way in understanding space and its associated functions to achieve such new standard of quality.Among the fundamental resources that should be fairly shared and wisely managed on the earth is energy which include the way we improve the consumption and production of energy. Some exemplary cases of local strategies in dealing with energy can be promoted as global lessons. Wisely designed and managed, we may reverse the roles of building and built-environment from energy consumption to energy provision, which might be enhanced by applying passive strategy.It is our hope that the 2nd Eduarchsia would be able to achieve its objective in providing an effective forum for academician, researchers, and practitioners to advance in knowledge, research, and technology for humanity. With humanity, we change to the better environment and a better life. Last but not least, my deepest gratitude goes to the Advisory Board, Organizing Committee, International Scientific Committee, institutions, companies, and volunteer who have directly and indirectly supported the success of this seminar. The committee has organized a vibrant scientific program and is working hard to present highly respected and internationally notorious speakers to lead it. Although we try our finest to be professional, on behalf of Islamic University of Indonesia, please accept our sincere apologies should there be inconveniences that occur before, during, or after the event. We wish you a very productive conference with fruitful discussions and exchange of knowledge and ideas so together we can anticipate a future breakthrough of knowledge, research, and technology for humanities.Wisnu Hendrawan Bayuaji, S.T., M.A.Chairperson of eduARCHsia 2022List of Committee are available in the pdf.

Decolonizing South Asian architecture: Sustainable and community-criented cocial housing in India

Decolonization process in India involved a range of political, economic, and social changes aimed at dismantling the colonial system and building a new, independent nation. One of the most significant challenges India faced during the decolonization process was the issue of partition. The partition of India in 1947 led to the creation of two separate countries—India and Pakistan—and resulted in widespread violence and displacement. Millions of people were forced to migrate across the newly formed borders, resulting in one of the largest mass migrations in human history which created huge demand for housing. The methodology adopted for this research is based on qualitative analysis and the data source for this study are government reports, research articles, books and newspaper. Further, it examines four case studies of social housing projects designed to provide sustainable and livable solutions for low-income families in different regions of India, including Aranya Community Housing, Incremental Housing in Belapur, ATIRA Staff Housing in Ahmadabad, and CIDCO Housing in Parsik Hill in Navi Mumbai. At the core of the article lies an investigation into the dynamic nature of architecture in the aftermath of independence, coupled with a detailed examination of four distinct social housing ventures. The social housing studies demonstrate innovative and flexible approaches to social housing, with a focus on community building, energy efficiency, and social amenities. The projects have been successful in providing access to affordable and sustainable housing for low-income families in different regions of India. The case studies highlight the importance of a community-centered approach to social housing, emphasizing the need for shared spaces and amenities. The article discusses the challenges and opportunities of implementing sustainable and livable social housing solutions in India.

The Architecture of Animation: Sungnyemun's Cultural Fire, Materiality, and Han

May 01 2023 The Architecture of Animation: Sungnyemun's Cultural Fire, Materiality, and Han Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong is a Ph. D. student at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto. Her research broadly focuses on early modern architecture of Italy, focusing on the treatment of structural defects, destruction, and demolition by architects of the period. She also examines the undergirding cultural history and early modern reception of failed or failing buildings and connects them to our own concerns about building destruction, functional obsolescence, and heritage preservation in the twenty-first century. Her secondary research concentrates on the material construction and preservation of East Asian architecture, particularly timber buildings from the Joseon dynasty. Katerina received a bachelor's from the University of Toronto and a master's from the University of Pennsylvania in art and architectural history. She also serves as the graduate chair of the Graduate Student Advisory Committee for the Society of Architectural Historians. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Author and Article Information Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong is a Ph. D. student at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto. Her research broadly focuses on early modern architecture of Italy, focusing on the treatment of structural defects, destruction, and demolition by architects of the period. She also examines the undergirding cultural history and early modern reception of failed or failing buildings and connects them to our own concerns about building destruction, functional obsolescence, and heritage preservation in the twenty-first century. Her secondary research concentrates on the material construction and preservation of East Asian architecture, particularly timber buildings from the Joseon dynasty. Katerina received a bachelor's from the University of Toronto and a master's from the University of Pennsylvania in art and architectural history. She also serves as the graduate chair of the Graduate Student Advisory Committee for the Society of Architectural Historians. Online ISSN: 2572-7338 Print ISSN: 1091-711X © 2023 Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong2023Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong Thresholds (2023) (51): 150–161. https://doi.org/10.1162/thld_a_00774 Cite Icon Cite Permissions Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Search Site Citation Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong; The Architecture of Animation: Sungnyemun's Cultural Fire, Materiality, and Han. Thresholds 2023; (51): 150–161. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/thld_a_00774 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll JournalsThresholds Search Advanced Search This content is only available as a PDF. © 2023 Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong2023Yeo-Jin Katerina Bong Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

Research on the Early Buddhist Architecture in the Ayeyarwady Basin

Statement of Removal This paper is removed as it has been published here. Article title: Research on the Early Buddhist Architecture in the Ayeyarwady Basin Authors: Yicun Pang, Wei Dong & Xihui Wang Journal: Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering TABE Version of Record Published Online: 09 Jan 2023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2023.2165403 © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group/Journal owner

Sequential Vision and Disorienting Experience of Garden Space in Asian Context: Comparative Analysis Based on the Residence of Ena de Silva and Xixi Villa

The blending of Eastern and Western cultures brought about by colonization was an important reason for the changes in Asian architecture in the 20th century. The passive input of Western design concepts into the local tradition caused a long swing in the design direction. The process of regionalism and global modernism from opposition to gradual integration can be found in the development of a series of Asian architectures. Based on the two architectural works of Geoffrey Bawa and Ge Ruliang, this paper discusses how Asian architects make in-depth regional expressions through garden space.

The Search for Solar Architecture in Asia in the Works of the Architect Antonin Raymond: A Protracted Balance between Culture and Nature

The renowned architect Antonin Raymond undertook a large amount of work in Japan for more than fifty years. He arrived to the archipelago as a partner to Frank Lloyd Wright, who had received the commission for the paramount Imperial Hotel. Nevertheless, Raymond became almost revolutionary in that country for his realizations of projects and buildings. Simultaneously, he pioneered the concept of solar houses, a notion that proved to be fundamental for bioclimatic design. Raymond realized that because of the influence of geomancy and Daoism, the buildings of Japan had a sort of cosmic link, especially to the sun and the seasons, and in this way, he took great concern with solar exposure, shading, and daylighting, both in the way in which they were composed and also in the materials that were employed, such as lumber, reed roofs, and paper screens. We have tried to identify these trends in his most significant buildings and establish a sequence of how they evolved towards a contemporary and truly sustainable design. The main result presented is that for the reasons presented, Raymond influenced a number of celebrated architects in Japan, India, and the USA. In fact, instead of pursuing the pure abstract minimalism common in his epoch, he made use of the ideas of naturalism in architecture, which in the case of Asia were related to ritual cosmology. In this article, we have outlined how such a procedure was possible and what it entailed for complex domains such as sun-lighting and daylighting, ventilation, acoustics, and re-interpretation of vernacular architecture. The connection with the main forces of the environment, which effectively interact through architecture, when considered from a philosophical and even spiritual point of view as he did, resulted in a kind of artistic revitalization of traditions belonging to Daoism and Shintoism and inaugurated a new manner of sustainable thinking for the building profession that endures today.

The Search for Sustainable Architecture in Asia in the Oeuvre of Antonin Raymond: A New Attunement with Nature

The American architect Antonin Raymond carried out intense work in Japan from 1920 to 1970. Firstly, coming to Japan to collaborate with Frank Lloyd Wright in the Imperial Hotel almost as an apprentice; unexpectedly, he was to change the game for Nipponese design and construction arts, creating at the same time the path to what currently stands out as a key example of modern environmentally conscious architecture. Due in part to his advanced stance in the profession, architects who now seem pivotal to the rising of a progressive movement in the island-nation were related to Raymond’s wake and influence, including Junzô Yoshimura, Kunio Maekawa, and Kenzô Tange. For these reasons, and given the fact that most of the building typologies he designed were previously nonexistent, his oeuvre caused a great impact and consideration, straddled as it is between nature and culture. Such prominent and visionary work, ahead of stylistic Western postulates, often related to mere abstraction, has not been sufficiently recognized in the history of building design. Consequently, the authors propose to settle in this article some of the most significant developments of Raymond’s work through his projects and ideas that intended to preserve the environment, such as integrated landscape and orientation to benefit from the sun and breezes, favoring ventilation through adroit design and extensive use of local material left untreated. These hard to assimilate notions would show that Raymond embodied in his work a profound respect for nature and traditions, rooted by its part in Daoism and Shintoism, which paved the way for subsequent innovations of early sustainability in the architectural domain.

Effect of Core Drilling and Restoring the Subsequent RC Column Strength

Statement of Removal Article title: Effect of Core Drilling and Restoring the Subsequent RC Column Strength Authors: Tamer H. K. Elafandy, Sherif A. Salem, L. M. Abd el Hafez and Mohamed A. Eid Journal: Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2022.2079645 Due to legal reasons, Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering has removed the following article: Effect of Core Drilling and Restoring the Subsequent RC Column Strength, published online May 19, 2022. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Reconfigurable Modular System of Prefabricated Timber Grids

To coordinate the old wisdom of modular systems and the emerging paradigm of Industry 4.0, the latest digital discretism has worked on combinatorial assembly for open-ended field conditions. Considering oriented to small-scale semipermanent timber buildings, this paper introduces a reconfigurable modular timber grid inspired by the traditional East Asian timber architecture. The system only requires minimum cuts on a dimensional timber to produce serialized components. As a result, the timber components dismantled from previous buildings can be easily reprocessed for other structures of different configurations. This recycling scheme facilitates serial manufacturing and reduces resource consumptions. Such a reconfigurable system relies on the grid geometry and the local topology of connections. The formalism of Bravais lattice from crystallography facilitates the analysis of the symmetry in various regular grids. Our prototype of the timber grid is self-standing (without connections to the ground) and creates a large overhang. A finite element method is developed to evaluate the structural performance of timber structures with semirigid joints on the basis of the direct stiffness method. Traditional East Asian architecture uses the interlocking mechanism for wood connections, whereas our system uses shallow-notched joints on the wood. A robotic milling system is adopted to prefabricate the wood components. The shallow notches are modeled as Boolean operations between a pair of cuboid components, which greatly simplifies the toolpath planning of the robotic system. System design, serial production of components, assembly, and recycling are integrated within a consistent and open system. • The reconfigurable timber grid optimizes material supply and energy consumption. • Bravais lattice from crystallography reveals the symmetry in regular timber grids. • Timber components from previous buildings can be easily reprocessed for reuse. • Finite element method models the semirigid connections in timber grid. • Robotic milling system is adopted to prefabricate the wood components.

Unknown Suns: László Hudec, Antonin Raymond and the Rising of a Modern Architecture for Eastern Asia

The purpose of this article is to disclose the strenuous efforts of László Hudec in China and Antonin Raymond in Japan and India to create a modern architectural stance by heralding an incipient space syntax. At the turn of the 19th century, for dynastic, political and economic reasons, Eastern Asia had very little modern architecture. It is a surprising fact that, out of happenstance, two European architects, Antonin Raymond and László Hudec, had to intervene to remedy this situation, to the point of becoming 20th century icons in Japan and China. Their fruitful careers spanned over thirty years and included locations like Tamil Nadu and the Philippines. The oriental territories were not an easy ground for the bold architectural achievements that they produced. Despite faraway strangeness and uncountable personal losses, in revolutions and wars, which eventually forced them both to leave for the United States of America and never to return, they were successful in the manner of establishing a broad avenue for modern Asian architecture which is still recognizable today thanks to their systematic approach. However, theirs is an endangered heritage and the intention of this article is to offer a just remembrance of the way in which such actions could be performed, how they predated by many years a syntactic approach to architectural composition and why their legacy should be preserved.

Written and Pictorial Sources on the Architecture of Persia and Central Asia during the Era of Timur’s and Timurids’ Rule

The article is devoted to the study of the most valuable source at the culture and architecture of Persia and Central Asia during the reign of Timur (late 14th — early 15th centuries) — the diary of the Spanish ambassador to the court of Timur. At this stage in the development of researching on the Persian and Central Asian architecture of the Timurid period, along with the problem of “analysis” of monuments and artistic style, the problem of “synthesis” of image of these architecture is urgent. The authors of this article propose a methodology for restoring the general impression of this architecture, which can serve as a basis for the process of “synthesis”, based on the study of the contemporary written source of the early 15th century — the diary of the Spanish grandee Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, who was part of the Spanish embassy, sent by the Castilian king Enrice III to the court of Timur at 1403–1406. Being an educated man and receptive to the new, Clavijo was able to isolate the characteristic features of the worldview of a man of the East, primarily an oriental despot, and the associated features of the art of the East. He and his colleagues in the embassy drew attention to the cunning, treachery, ingenuity, secrecy of the eastern rulers. The Spaniards were struck by the luxury, power and wealth of Timur’s state, which at that time was at the zenith of glory. The Spaniards, accustomed to the stability of architectural images in their native Spain, were amazed at the variability of the artistic images of the East. They drew attention to the love of the representatives of the peoples of the East for free draperies, giving themselves to the will of the wind, in the temporary architecture and in festive women’s clothes, that by their nature were well consistent with the decoration of architectural buildings. The Spanish envoys revealed that subservient to the first and most faithful fresh impression, tenaciously grasping the main difference between the architecture of Timur’s state and contemporary European architecture. This difference consisted in the desire to create an image that is changing, diverse, fluid, mobile, not instantly solved and full of mystery, but at the same time striking the imagination with its luxury and wealth and according to the understanding of their masters, customers and spectators. The conclusion about the specifics of Timurid architecture, made on the basis of a study of the diary of the Spanish ambassador, is supported by the authors of the article turning to the analysis of written and pictorial sources created by representatives of the studied culture itself.

Using digital humanity approaches to visualize and evaluate the cultural heritage ontology

PurposeThis study applies digital humanity tools (Gephi and Protégé) for establishing and visualizing ontologies in the cultural heritage domain. According to that, this study aims to develop a novel evaluation approach using five ontology indicators (data overview, visual presentation, highlight links, scalability and querying) to evaluate the knowledge structure presentation of cultural heritage ontology.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers collected and organized 824 pieces of government’s open data (GOD), converted GOD into the resource description framework format, applied Protégé and Gephi to establish and visualize cultural heritage ontology. After ontology is built, this study recruited 60 ontology participants (30 from information and communications technology background; 30 from cultural heritage background) to operate this ontology and gather their different perspectives of visual ontology.FindingsBased on the ontology participant’s feedback, this study discovered that Gephi is more supporting than Protégé when visualizing ontology. Especially in data overview, visual presentation and highlight links dimensions, which is supported visualization and demonstrated ontology class hierarchy and property relation, facilitated the wider application of ontology.Originality/valueThis study offers two contributions. First, the researchers analyzed data on East Asian architecture with novel digital humanities tools to visualize ontology for cultural heritage. Second, the study collected participant’s feedback regarding the visualized ontology to enhance its design, which can serve as a reference for future ontological development.

POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING SECURITY CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN CICA MEMBER STATES

In contemporary world achieving real progress in solving global and regional security problems without confidence-building measures and cooperation is an almost infeasible. In this regard, effective security architecture in Asia can only show its effectiveness with the joint efforts of all stakeholders. The article examines in detail the activities of the CICA in each individual region, as well as analyzes the possibilities of strengthening the connectivity between the members of the Forum. Besides, in order to further institutionalize and transform the CICA into a full-fledged organization, a number of ideas and proposals are presented that will give it a new impetus and relevance in the international arena.

Accreditation Requirements and the Global History of Architecture

Accreditation Requirements and the Global History of Architecture

Construction of “Bibikhonim Jome Mosque” by Amir Temur and architectural solution of the Mosque

This article is devoted to the architecture and compositional solution of the Bibi Khanum Mosque, built by Amir Temur for his beloved wife. The names of the masters and architects who built the mosque by the decree of Amir Temur are unknown. The location of the building was chosen by Amir Temur on May 10, 1399. The courtyard of the architectural ensemble is a building with a main mosque to the west and small mosques to the north and south. The Bibikhanum Mosque, a masterpiece of art built by Sahibkiran, is a classic example of Central Asian architecture and a monumental architectural structure.

The Fantasy Garden in East Asian Tradition: A Case Study of a Garden Record in Seo Yugu’s Treatises on Rural Living

This paper presents an annotated translation and hermeneutic interpretation of a garden record in Seo Yugu’s nineteenth-century Korean encyclopedia Treatises on Rural Living (Imwon gyeongje ji 林園經濟志). This particular garden record is about a fantasy garden called To-Become Garden (Jangchwiwon 將就園). The translation, historical annotations, and hermeneutic interpretation presented in this paper help define the concept of a fantasy garden in East Asian architecture and uncover the Taoist hermitage in the humanistic, social, and environmental context of premodern Korea, at a time when Korea was experiencing a philosophical shift from traditional Neo-Confucianism to the emerging social movement of “practical learning” (Sirhak). This paper demonstrates that Seo’s encyclopedic composition of garden theories mixes his cultural perception of Korean mountain landscapes, his life experience of a practical hermitage, and his fantasy of a Taoist paradise. A comparison is drawn between Seo’s philosophy of life and Western critical philosophy at the dawn of modernity.

History of central asian architecture

History of central asian architecture

Cultural Astronomy of the Japanese Archipelago: Exploring the Japanese Skyscape by Akira Goto

Reviewed by: Cultural Astronomy of the Japanese Archipelago: Exploring the Japanese Skyscape by Akira Goto Jeffrey Kotyk Cultural Astronomy of the Japanese Archipelago: Exploring the Japanese Skyscape. By Akira Goto. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2021. 158 pages. ISBN: 9780367407988 (hardcover, also available as e-book). Akira Goto's Cultural Astronomy of the Japanese Archipelago: Exploring the Japanese Skyscape is a welcome monograph dealing with a topic that has largely been undiscussed in the Anglosphere. While the study of historical Japanese astronomy and uranography is well developed, the relevant research tends to focus on imported Chinese models and/or Buddhist astrology without considering autochthonous Japanese skyscapes. Delving into this topic, Goto importantly demonstrates that there was (and arguably still is), in reality, a diversity of perspectives among the denizens of the Japanese archipelago from the Ryukyu peoples to the Ainu of Hokkaido. He emphasizes from the beginning that in this context we ought to treat "Japan" as an archipelago (i.e., as a geographical region), rather than as a national entity. The importance of this approach becomes clear throughout the book as the reader is introduced to entirely different visions of the heavens among different peoples on the islands. Chapter 1 surveys the vernacular names for stars, with a focus on how ordinary people would have used asterisms in everyday life (e.g., for physical positioning and dates) and for other purposes (e.g., warfare, fishing, agriculture). This discussion is especially welcome given how little attention is usually paid to common rather than aristocratic or "official" forms of astral knowledge. Chapter 2 examines stars in Japanese mythology and classical literature and is based on sources including Kojiki and Nihon shoki. For the former Goto cites the 1882 translation by Basil Hall Chamberlain, which is problematic considering it is so dated; in this chapter and others he ought to have cited the original text of his primary sources in kanbun or kobun to show how he would punctuate and interpret them. I also felt that the discussion of the north-south orientation of the ancient capitals (pp. 33–37) could have been expanded. Heijō-kyō and Heian-kyō were based on Chinese models of city planning, a background that should have been treated in greater detail because of its importance both in general and to traditional East Asian architecture more specifically.1 Some of the terminology in this chapter is misleading, for example "28 Sei shuku [End Page 363] (28 houses in Chinese zodiac system)" on page 31. The kanji 宿 (shuku or suku) is normally translated in this context as "lunar station" or "mansion," rather than "house." Buddhists used shuku as functional equivalents of the Indian nakṣatras, which are also translated as "lunar stations" or "mansions" (nakṣatras and Chinese lunar stations had entirely different parameters, however). Moreover, "Chinese zodiac system" is left undefined. A zodiac is formally a division of twelve equal components of the ecliptic, and although zodiac signs did become part of Chinese (and eventually Japanese) astrology, they are separate from the twenty-eight lunar stations. As a second example, on page 33 we read that during the reign of the Tenmu emperor (r. 673–686) "a platform for the first time was erected from which to do horoscopes by means of the stars (Aston 1972, Vol. 2: 326)." This is misleading and anachronistic, since the source text (Nihon shoki) actually says nothing here about horoscopes. The relevant line in W. G. Aston's translation reads, "A platform was for the first time erected from which to divine by means of the stars"; the Chinese in the original is 始興占星臺, which I would translate, "For the first time, a platform for divining the stars was erected."2 A horoscope is a table of calculated planetary positions from which an individual's fate is evaluated and interpreted. This does not actually necessitate live observations, since normally an astrologer calculates the planetary positions at the time of a client's birth. Horoscopy did in fact exist in Japan, but only from the late tenth century with the advent of the Sukuyōdō community of astrologermonks.3 The word 占星 in the period and context of Tenmu's reign would refer to celestial omenology...