L'architecture en voûte chinoise. Un patrimoine inconnu

This book considers the matury of the vault with abutments whitch is veryscare in the Chinese architecture. A history of types, materials, technics, etc. is provided in order to understand the yaodong 'built grotto'. Each of those constructions has a particular history, in relation with natural environment, hitorical circumstances, symbolic and religious habits as also with the building owners and the foremen. Conyinuous and diversified influences have permitted their existence.
This architectural patrimony at one and the same time 'savant' and popular, is not well known even in China. This book would like to bring those ancient and contemporary 'savoir-faire' into light.

Caroline Bodolec is a permanent researcher at the French Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) and member of the Centre d’étude sur la Chine moderne et contemporaine, EHESS in Paris.
She has a PhD in history of technics from the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (Cnam). She actually continues her researches on constructions in rural area and on craftsmen expertise in ancient and contemporary China.