Dougong

Dougong (Chinese: 斗拱; pinyin: dǒugǒng; lit. 'cap [and] block') is a structural element of interlocking wooden brackets, important in traditional Chinese architecture for both its structural capacities and cultural implications.

Not to be confused with Dugong.

The use of dougong first appeared in buildings of the late centuries BC, with its earliest renditions emerging during the Western Zhou Dynasty, evolving over the centuries into a structural network which joined pillars and columns to the frame of the roof. Dougong were widely used by the ancient Chinese during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) and developed into a complex set of interlocking parts by its peak in the Tang and Song periods. The pieces are fitted together by joinery alone without glue or fasteners, requiring precise carpentry.

After the Song dynasty, brackets and bracket sets used in palatial structures and important religious buildings became more ornamental than structural, moving away from the description of traditional dougong.

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