From: Wung, Lihuang Sent: Friday, December 17, 2010 2:19 PM To: (Contact List) Subject: Fuzhou Ting Status 12-17-10 Attachments: Photos 12-13-10 to 12-17-10.pdf Fuzhou Ting Status Report of December 17, 2010: Roofers have been busy laying tiles this week. Let s let them be and look around and continue our animal talk. So, by now, we've learned that there are 4 bats, 8 fish, and 4 dragon heads (decoration on the Queti Corbel brackets) "living" in the Fuzhou Ting. Of course that's not all. There are more; there are hold your breath, and hold tight on that dog leash 3 lions and 56 dragons. Dragon Head Beams ( 龙头梁 Long Tou Liang) The Fuzhou Ting comes with a special type of beams where one end is carved into the shape of the dragon head. These 56 special beams are placed around the Main Pavilion, on top of the Dou Gong bracket systems and underneath the roof sheathings, with the dragon heads sticking out while their bodies staying behind the enclosed "attic" portion of the structure, nowhere to be seen. These beams are primarily for decoration purposes. The heads are of the same size, but the bodies come in three different lengths. The head is not actually that of The Dragon ( 龙 Long), but of 螭吻 (Chiwen), who was believed to be the ninth son (or the second, as some scholars have argued) of The Dragon. The Dragon had nine sons. None of them resembled or was as good as their father. Nonetheless, they were all talented in some areas in their own ways. Chiwen was particularly good at putting out fires and getting rid of calamities. Fire hazards are obviously a great concern for traditional wooden structure, so, for peace of mind and certainly for decoration, it is critical that the Chiwen head is designed and incorporated in the structure usually in a relatively prominent fashion, such as placing them on the roof, on both ends of the main ridge. The design architects of the Fuzhou Ting apparently did it in a more subtle way placing them under the roof. Subtle as they may appear, the 56 dragon heads encircling the pavilion will undoubtedly ward off the evils from all directions. And, oh, does 56 mean anything? Yes, they represent the 56 ethnic groups in China. Stone Lions ( 石狮 Shi Shi) (Shi, pronounced in different tones means stone and lion, respectively) Like many traditional Chinese mansions, gardens or pavilions, the Fuzhou Ting has a pair of lions a male and a female sitting at the entrance to faithfully safeguard the property. Their job is to cast out the demons and block the bad 气 (pronounced as Qi or Chi, as in Chi Gong, meaning energy) from gushing in. The male lion always sits on the left (their left, that is) and the female on the right. This is also the case for the Fuzhou Ting, i.e., if you are walking out of the Ting facing the same direction as the lions, the male is to your
left and the female to your right. There are some exceptions to this rule, but let's not worry about them for now. The Fuzhou Ting's lions are of the southern Chinese style. Unlike their northern Chinese counterparts that tend to be more simple, unadorned, and free from much affectation, they are more lively, playful, a little embellished, and like many southern style lions, playing with their paws a ball made of rolled colored silk. Note that there is a small ball inside the silk ball, and there is also a small ball in each lion's mouth. The small balls were not put in, but carved out, from within where they are, if you know what I mean. You may want to check it out for yourself next time. The lions are currently boxed in, to protect them from being chipped or damaged inadvertently during the construction. So, I am attaching a photo that I took on October 28, the day the Fuzhou delegation returned home. Look how happy Mr. Zhang Fan and Ms. Olivia Han were just as happy as the lions. Oh, I mentioned there are 3 lions, didn't I? Where's the 3 rd one? Well, I'll leave it to you to find out. Don't tell me you can't see a lion around a small Ting. In closing, I want to thank Mr. Zhang and Ms. Han for contributing the majority of the information about the dragons and the lions. This will be the last report of the year. I want to take this opportunity to express my sincerest appreciation to you all for your support, encouragement and comments. I am honored that my ordinary documentation series are actually read, appreciated and recognized. I am grateful for your support to the City of Tacoma, to the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation, and to the Chinese Reconciliation efforts. Until next year, have a wonderful holiday season, everyone! Lihuang Wung Community and Economic Development Department 747 Market Street, Room 1036 Tacoma, WA 98402 (253) 591-5682
Dragon Head Beams ( 龙头梁 Long Tou Liang)
Dragon Head Beams ( 龙头梁 Long Tou Liang)
Stone Lions ( 石狮 Shi Shi)