THE TOUR / The Timberwork of Leong San Tong
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The Shou Zuo (The Animal Dou Base)
Another type of corbel unit is the shou zuo or the animal dou base. It is usually of the motifs of auspicious animals, especially lions. One of the most outstanding features of the timberwork of Leong San Tong is its variety of the animal dou bases of the Southern Fujian architecture, which includes the dou bases of lions, elephants, kylins, deer and toads. These auspicious animals hold plants in their mouths, play with their cubs, or carry deities on their backs. Each of them is unique and is a splendid demonstration of artistry, creativity and originality. Apart from the melon and the animal dou bases, there is also a semi-circular dou base in the shape of a bowl. The refined ornamentation on it displays motifs of plants and human figures. | ||
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The Sui
The Sui, which is a structural reinforcement under a beam, is a major timberwork found in Leong San Tong. As it is wide but not the primary load-bearing structure, it is carved out and ventilated. The motifs include auspicious plants, birds and animals as well as legends and historical episodes. Among these woodcarvings, the most attractive one is called the yuan guang, which is found at the verandah. It is not only carved out and ventilated, but is also double-sided. This double-sided carving is very difficult to produce, for it requires the craftsman to depict different motifs and stories on both sides. |
  Yuan Guang a double-sided carving which depicts a different story on each side | |
 A tuo mu which shows a dragon fish holding plants in its mouth |
The Tuo Mu (The Joint Bracket)
The Tuo mu or the joint bracket is a stabilising triangular structure between the beam and the column. The Tuo mu. which has the shape of a phoenix or a dragon fish holding some plants in its mouth, are seen under the beams of the Prayer Pavilion as well as in the central hall. In other places, most of the delicately carved tuo mu display the motifs of human figures or plants. | |
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The Diao Tong (The Hanging Short Column)
The Diao Tong is a short column hanging on the beam under the eave. It has the function of load-bearing for the eave. When it takes the shape of a lotus or flower basket, it is also called the chui hua (hanging flower) or the diao lan (hanging basket). Rows of chui hua and diao lan hang under the eaves of the main hall and the Prayer Pavilion. Two big diao lan are found between every two columns at the inner layer of the eaves, while at the outer layer, the chui hua are found protruding from the columns. At the Prayer Pavilion, there are three chui hua at each corner column, one of which comes out right at an angle of 45 degrees. At the verandah and the Prayer Pavilion, there are a total of twelve diao lan, twenty-two chui hua and two half-chui hua. |
 There are a total of 12 exquisite diao lan under the eaves of Leong San Tong  A diao tong in the shape of lotus. It is also called cui hua, meaning hanging flowers | |
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The Shu Cai (The Standing Timberwork)
The Shu cai is a timberwork standing upright in front of the diao long to cover the tenon of the timberwork at the back. Most of the shu cai in Leong San Tong are in the form of wooden boards, on which sit three-dimensional carvings depicting an immortal riding on a phoenix. The motifs of this immortal also appear on the wall frieze to add grandeur to it. There is an interesting shu cai under the eave between the verandah and the Prayer Pavilion. On the left, it depicts a Westerner with a walrus moustache and a wide-rimmed soft-felt hat on his head riding on a lion, while behind him stands a little Chinese woman who seems wanting to look at the binoculars in his hand. On the right, also riding on a lion, is the Patron of Scholarship (kui xing), who is in charge of the fortune of scholars. The design of the lion-riding Westerner placed in a position equivalent but opposite to the Patron of Scholarship is worth giving a second thought. What does it mean? Was the sculptor implying that in the colonial era, a technology savvy Westerner was more powerful than a scholar? | ||
 An interesting shu cai depicting a westerner riding on a lion while behind him stands a Chinese woman |
 A shu cai depicting the Patron of Scholarship (kui xing) riding on a lion | |
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