Abstract
Yongyou Temple at the Chengde Mountain Resort (China) was built under the Qianlong emperor (1751–1771). Its Sarira Pagoda is an octagonal nine-storey brick–stone tower whose exterior eaves zone is articulated by brick-and-stone imitation-timber components. We combine in situ structural survey with X-ray diffraction (XRD), petrographic thin-section microscopy, thermomechanical analysis (TMA), micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (micro-FTIR) and I2–KI staining to characterise component materials, mortars and assembly logic. Chuanwang and dougong are monolithic carvings of crystal- and glass-rich volcaniclastic tuff, whereas e-fang and bawangquan were executed on high-fired brick cores containing >50% amorphous phase and mullite/cristobalite. TMA constrains firing to ~900–1000 °C. Joint mortars are high-calcium lime-based, with intentional sand additions and occasional starch-bearing organic signals. This study excludes other exterior eaves elements like glazed flat-body bracket sets and focuses on selected brick-and-stone imitation-timber components.
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Acknowledgements
This study was carried out within the framework of the conservation project entitled "Conservation Project of the Stone Components of the Yongyou Temple Sarira Pagoda in the Chengde Mountain Resort". The authors thank the Relic Bureau of Chengde Municipal and Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Conservation Engineering Co., Ltd. for field support, on-site coordination, and assistance with investigation and sampling. We also acknowledge the technical assistance provided by Shaanxi Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources Experiment Co., Ltd. for XRD analyses and petrographic thin-section identification, and by Shaanxi Academy of Cultural Relics Conservation for TMA and micro-FTIR measurements. No funding was received for this research.
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Zhou, W., Li, H., Liu, Y. et al. Materials and installation of the brick-and-stone imitation timber components in the Yongyou Temple Sarira Pagoda. npj Herit. Sci. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-026-02552-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-026-02552-1
