Student Project Exhibition: Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian & Traditional Chinese Architecture - Using Digital Technology & Multi-media to Enhance Learning in Historic Landmarks and Cultural Heritage

學生習作展覽
峻極神工 天下奇觀 - 
山西應縣木塔及中國傳統建築 
數字技術與多媒體在古蹟和文化遺產教學上的應用

Guided VR Tour Times at CAVE
Date: 10-13, June
Time: 15:30-16:00 and 16:30-17:00

Documentary Screening Times at Mini Theatre (Le ciel de l'esprit)
Date: 10-13, June
Time: 15:00-15:30 and 16:00-16:30



Built in 1056, the Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian (Ying County, Shanxi) is a national treasure in China, regarded as the oldest wooden multi-storey structure in the world. The 67-meter tall pagoda is a prime example of ancient Chinese architecture, surviving many natural disasters during its lifespan.

PATCH (Preserving and Appraising Traditional Cultural Heritage) is an extracurricular project commenced in 2016. In collaboration with Shanxi Agricultural University, PATCH and Dr. Steve Ching from the Run Run Shaw Library have organized a series of study trips to Shanxi Province for investigating its rich cultural heritage, especially the architectural wonder: The Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian. In summer 2018, a small pilot project ‘Wooden Pagoda Digitization’ to explore digital animation technology in the context of developing teaching and learning activities was successfully conducted by the joint effort among PATCH, GE1125 ‘Architecture & Space in Chinese Culture’ Course, EDGE (Office of Education Development & Gateway Education) and CCIV (Chinese Civilisation Centre). Until May 2019, students have made seven study trips to the pagoda and other heritage sites in Shanxi. Their goal is to understand the pagoda from different perspectives and disciplines such as architecture, engineering, heritage preservation, environmental science, Buddhist art, literature and historical text. Under the support of the GE Lab (Gateway Education Laboratory), students have learned skills of applying digital 3D technology, aerial photography and multimedia in the digitization, virtualization, forensic investigation, reinterpretation, and representation of historical landmarks and cultural heritage.

This exhibition is a showcase of student and staff projects selected from the last 5 years, and some materials of ‘Immersive Learning’ developed by GE1125 course and GE Lab, including digital 3D animations, 360-degree digital models, VR (virtual reality) captures, 3D printings, multimedia productions, artwork,  and physical items such as handmade architectural models and traditional Chinese carpentry tools.Special thanks to PATCH advisors including Steve Ching (Library), Peter Brimblecombe (School of Energy & Environment), Charlie Xue and Qiusheng Li (Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering), Lin Li (Chinese Civilization Center). The organizer sincerely thanks DIMsum scheme from the Office of the Provost and Mainland 10,000 Scheme, collaborated with Shanxi Agricultural University, for substantially covering costs of student study trips to Shanxi in seven occasions. Without their support, this event would not have been possible.

項目簡介

山西古稱晉，是中國傳統建築遺產非常豐富的省份，根據有關調查，省內現存宋代或以前各類建築，數量佔全國的70%以上。其中被譽為『天下奇觀』的千年古蹟應縣佛宮寺釋迦塔 (俗稱應縣木塔) ，建於西元1056年，為遼代遺構，塔高67.31米，是全球最高的木塔。全塔重約二千六百噸，結構精密巧妙，共應用了54種斗栱，體現中國古代木建築技術的傑出成就。是現今世界保存最古老多層結構的木建築，它象徵人類文明的歷史、藝術、科學價值。以易損材料應用榫卯結構搭建67米高的木塔是無與倫比的國家寶藏，但歷經近一千年的風霜雨雪侵蝕，塔內柱身及柱頭有開裂，且低層(第二層)向東北方向傾斜，與當地長年吹西南風是否有影響? 影響有多大? 蟲蛀是木結構建築文化遺產保護研究的一個課題。近年氣候變遷改變了生物習性，應縣木塔的木構件是否有可能出現蟲蛀的現象?在2015年底, 針對應縣木塔古蹟的保護研究， 校內成立了一個跨學科的研究興趣小組。我們計畫圍繞木塔歷史、藝術、科學、社會、文化價值，塔樓構件的物、化性能及其與環境因素的變化關係，樓體結構的抗風性能幾個方面開展研究。

傳統文化遺產保護與傳承 (Preserving and Appraising Traditional Cultural Heritage,  簡稱 PATCH)是香港城市大學2016-19學術發展計劃中的一項推動工作。2016年3月，香港城市大學與山西農業大學針對開展山西歷史古建築研習實踐活動，兩校簽署了合作交流項目協議書。校內成立了一個跨學科的研究興趣小組，圍繞木塔歷史、藝術、科學、社會、文化價值，塔樓構件的物、化性能及其與環境因素的變化關係，樓體結構的抗風性能幾個方面開展研究。於同年6月，由圖書館老師帶領來自建築學與土木工程系、中文及歷史系、經濟及金融系同學，開展了第一次山西應縣木塔研習之旅：〝萬里茶道˙晉商文化－晉港學生田野調查與文獻考察交流項目〞。為了發展此交流項目，項目協調人景祥祜博士曾先後走訪了建築學家吳良鏞院士、中國古蹟遺址保護協會文化遺址防災減災專業委員會(ICOMOS, China)」理事會會長侯衛東總工程師、中國文化遺產研究院負責應縣木塔搶險加固項目的王林安工程師、潘雲鶴院士等著名專家學者，聽取了他們的寶貴意見並獲得他們熱情的支持和鼓勵。2018年夏天，PATCH小組聯同GE1125 建築空間與中國文化(Architecture and Space in Chinese Culture)課程、教育發展及精進教育處(Education Development and Gateway Education，簡稱EDGE) 以及中國文化中心，初步對木塔進行多方面的數字記錄， 作為一種數字化教學活動的試驗。至2019年5月，城大師生對應縣木塔和山西各地的古建築共展開了七次考察。他們嘗試從不同角度和學科了解木塔，包括建築學、營造工藝技術、文化遺產保育、佛教藝術、牌匾與碑刻、歷史文獻、環境科學等。城大學生在 精進教育實驗室 (Gateway Education Laboratory，簡稱GE Lab) 的支持下，學習並運用3-D數字技術和結合航拍等多媒體技術，對木塔開展數字化、影像化保護、研究和展示。同學們的研習，反映和綜合了不同的認知與探索手段，例如現場調查古跡； 數字/影像記錄古跡； 分析數字化/影像化的古跡；數字鑑識調查 (Digital Forensic Investigation)；重新呈現/重新闡釋古蹟。

本次匯報展覽，集中了過去五年以來各批的學生研習成果以及一些GE1125和GE Lab共同發展的沉浸式教學 (immersive learning)素材，包括了數字3-D模型、360全景模型、 虛擬實境 (VR) 、3-D打印、多媒體短片、音樂創作短片、藝術創作等，還有一些相關的實物，例如木建築構件模型和木匠工具。當中的VR 學習活動更運用了〝翻轉課堂〞(Flipped Classroom)的教學模式，不單得到學生的認同及支持，其學術研究文章“Using Virtual Reality to Enhance Learning in a Chinese Architectures Course: A Flipped Classroom Approach”更得到IEEE TALE 2018的卓越論文獎 (Outstanding Paper Award)。

知識實踐代表作品 : 
應縣木塔歷史記憶
The Preservation of the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

https://www.cityu.edu.hk/cityvod/video/play/LIB/Yingxian_Pagoda.aspx

DIMSum Project/Mainland 10000 Scheme: 2017-2018 Winter Study Trip to Shanxi - Learning About and Preserving the Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian and other Chinese Architectural Heritages

PATCH計劃的學術顧問是景祥祜(邵逸夫圖書館)、Peter Brimblecombe(能源及環境學院)、薛求理(建築及土木工程學系)、李秋勝(建築及土木工程學系)、李磷(中國文化中心/中文及歷史系)。學生的實地考察活動過去三年連續7次獲得香港城市大學 DIMsum計劃、 教育部萬人計劃的資助，並曾得到以下熱心人士及合作機構的指導、協助和支持：

中國工程院/清華大學吳良鏞院士、中國工程院/浙江大學潘雲鶴院士、中國文化遺產研究院/北京工業大學侯衛東總工程師、
山西農業大學楊武德副校長、山西農業大學外事處范秉相處長、山西省應縣木塔文物局方國一局長、山西省應縣龍翔書畫院、山西省應縣清涼莊鄧和先生、鄧桂波先生、鄧洪波先生、北京工業大學建築與規劃學院戴儉院長、中國文化遺產研究院王林安工程師、永昕群工程師、陶行知教育基金會課外專項基金紀建軍住任. 课外专项基金纪建军基金會紀建軍 (排名不分先後)特此鳴謝！

City University of Hong Kong’s Wooden Pagoda Heritage Project (WPHP) invites you to attend its “Wonder of the World” Seminar on 8 June 2019, 1300-1730, with student and staff speakers presenting their research, documentation, and findings on the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda through fieldwork studies to the heritage site since 2017.

For registration, please contact lbsandy@cityu.edu.hk or 3442 6582.
All are welcome to join!