▌Truss

In Mandarin, people often use the term “engraved beam, painted column” to describe extravagant mansions, because engraved wooden components are the features of Chinese architecture. The wood carvings are mostly placed on the truss under a corridor on the door or on the window. 

▌Arch

The arch, also known as “tong-sui (通隨),” is positioned on the flower carving material beneath the corridor beam. It makes the structure steady and prevents it from deformation.

▌Shusui (束隨)

Shusui is a tiebeam of a smaller area. It is often made into a radial. It is used to fill holes and make wooden frames steady. Now it is used mainly for decoration. 

▌Douzuo (斗座)

Douzuo is a pedestal that holds bearing blocks. It supports the heavy weight of the beams above. Therefore, it has structural functions. Since it comes in different shapes, it becomes the emphasis of carpentry work.

Guatong (瓜筒)

The short column guatong is one kind of douzuo. It is placed at the joint part between beams and columns. Usually, it is carved into an oval, a melon (pronounced as gua in Mandarin), or the shape of a hornless dragon. All shapes mean “fortune.” The lower parts of the guatong are extended and brought together to form the shape of an eagle claw, which firmly holds on to the beam lest from loosening.

▌Dougong (斗栱)

Dougong has structural functions. As the bracket arm reaches out, its end connects to the bearing block. While the blocks link with another bracket arm, the bracket arm in turn links with a higher bearing block. The linkage goes upward and eventually holds the roof in place. Therefore, it can support and distribute the weight of the entire roof. 

▌Bolster

The bolster is also termed “queti (雀替)” or “chajiao (插角).” It is a wooden part placed at the near-triangular intersection between beams and columns. It can make the wooden components steady.

▌Pengqianzhen

Pengqianzhen is a butterfly-shaped skid beneath an architrave. It holds the components on the purlin steady.

▌Diaotong (吊筒): the pendant

The pendant is also called “huatong (花筒).” Dangling from the eave rafter, it is the extension of the pendant column which often ends in the engraved shape of flower baskets or balls of silk strips.

▌Shucai (豎材):

the vertical component Shucai is the wooden component placed around the pendant column. It covers the crevice of the middle part of the pendant column. As it is placed in an eye-catching position, shucai is the focal point of engraving art. 

▌Paneled door

Paper or wooden partitions are put between two rooms. A paneled door usually has six, eight, or ten door panels, and they are served as the partitions between the interior space. These panels can all be uninstalled when increasing the inner space is needed. A paneled door is composed of “tiaohuanban,” “gexin,” “yaohuaban,” and “qunban,” all of which refer to different parts of the door

Gexin

Gexin refers to open ornamental casements and it features geometrical patterns, landscapes, or flower patterns. Glass panes or silk fabrics can be placed in these casements which contribute to the versatility of engraving art in traditional Chinese architecture.

▌Tiaohuanban

the top part of a paneled door

Through openwork carving, it often displays flowers and birds of the four seasons, human figures, or geometrical patterns. All of which are three-dimensional.

Yaohuaban: the upper panel of a paneled door

Yaohuaban often features imitation of animal mask decors on bronze utensils. They are mostly a pair of hornless dragons, but sometimes they are flora or cloud patterns made by bas-relief engraving method.
 

▌Qunban (裙板):

the lower panel of a paneled door

The rim of qunban is only colored with dye halos, which is simple yet elegant.

▌Sill wall window

Unlike paneled doors, a sill wall window does not have a qunban or a lower panel. It is fixed on the wall. Openwork carved wooden bars, also called grills, are formed into translucent checkered panels. These panels form hollow window shutters, which can filter light into different shades and let the air in. The checkered panels have patterns, such as colored wooden balls, paired flowers, or water caltrops.

▌Fixed window

The ventilating window is installed in a higher place in order to facilitate the indoor airflow exchange. Although it is placed in a higher position, the engraving art is still delicate. It is mostly a combination of paralleled or crossed wooden bars.