Shaoyi Hall in Gaoshan Village, Longyou, Zhejiang

Shaoyi Hall was originally built in the second year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1369). The existing structure features two courtyards and three bays, facing north by east (165°), with a hard-ridged roof. It has a total width of 12.50 meters, a total depth of 18.70 meters, and covers an area of 234 square meters. On both sides of the main entrance, there is a pair of drum-shaped stones carved with a double lion playing with a ball motif. The drum stones are 1.84 meters high, 1.7 meters long, and 0.3 meters thick. The lower part is a Sumeru throne, and the upper part is a relief of double lions playing with a ball, which is partially damaged. The back of the drum is decorated with entwined flowers and plants around the edges, and a wind-fire wheel in the center. The inner gable walls on the left and right sides of the building are solid, while the outer gable walls are hollow bucket walls. The space between the inner and outer walls is 85 centimeters. The building features shuttle columns, pole-shaped bases, covered basins underneath, and a three-layer earthen floor. In Shaoyi Hall, slightly curved small beams connect the second purlins. The lively fish-shaped design on both sides resembles a fish with its head bowed, back arched, and tail curled. The tie beams are connected to the flat-bodied Dougong brackets, and the lower part of the tie beams is supported by diagonal braces, similar to the upward-sloping beams found in Song and Yuan Dynasty architecture. The top of the brace supports the palm-fiber base, while the tail of the brace is inserted into the head of the single upward-sloping beam in the flat-bodied Dougong brackets. The uniqueness of this structure lies in the ingenious application of mechanics and geometry to the building. The purlins, tie beams, and diagonal braces form a stable triangle, which transfers the weight of the roof to the forehead beam through the diagonal braces, reducing the load on the beams and making reasonable use of each component. From an aesthetic point of view, this design appears very natural and seamless, without any sense of forced artificiality. It perfectly integrates the scientific and artistic aspects of the building. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit.