ABSTRACT
The woven arch bridge in Southeast China is a particular type of wooden structure. Composed of interlocking beams, it can reach a span of over 40 m.
This bridge building tradition developed in a less-developed mountain area, isolated from the outside world for centuries. Bridge carpenters whose expertise is the product of more than two centuries of family tradition still actively use this technique today. They work with primitive, simple design and construction tools. Bridges over high cliffs and deep waters are built using the simplest scaffolding system, and their sophisticated composition is designed and calculated using a sketch with only a few lines. The techniques for designing and constructing the bridges has been inscribed into the UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
This chapter is a comprehensive documentation of the building process for an entire bridge, using first-hand material from three constructions the author was involved in, ranging from organization and preparation and sourcing of materials and tools, through the design method and processing of the elements, to the establishment of the structure. The most highlighted contribution is the “interpretation” of the craftsmen’s understanding of design, structure, and construction into a modern system of knowledge.
