About this Item
This book is in Chinese only; it is not a bilingual edition. Beijing Ancient Architecture. Issued by the Department of Building Theory and History, Institute of Building Science, Ministry of Building Engineering, People's Republic of China. Published in Beijing in 1959. Printed in China. Presumed first ed. Hardback, not paperback. 9.25 x 5.75 inches. Tweed-like light brown cloth binding. Dark brown stamped lettering to the front board and spine, in Chinese free-form characters. The binding has a beautiful hand and is in near fine condition, with scarcely any evidence of wear. Unbumped spine head and tail, with sharp corners. The text block is firmly bound in. 39 numbered pages of text/commentary. Also with maps, plans, schematics of Old Beijing. Followed by 12 full-page color plates and 222 B&W plates of various sizes. Slight age-toning to the pages, scarcely noticeable. Front and rear pastedowns with a few square-shaped "ghosting" impressions, possibly left by Acetate residue; minor. Else no demerits observed. To the rear FEP is affixed a small label from the venerable book shop Han-Shan Tang Ltd., London. The original full-pictorial dust jacket is present. The wrap-around illus. is B&W, with the front cover and spine bearing titling in light gold. At the bottom of the rear of the DJ there is a small, neat label stating, L'Extrême Orient. Moderate edgewear at the four corners and along the front top of the DJ. A Very Good Plus copy in a Very Good Minus dust jacket. A rare copy in any condition. Weight 2 lbs. 6 oz. As the title indicates, this book documents significant buildings from Beijing's long past. Sections include Cheng-Shi, Yuan-Lin, Zhu-Zhai, and Zong-Jiao Jian-Zhu. The good quality of the paper and the binding is remarkable in that the book was produced during the first year of the devastating Great Chinese Famine of 1959-1961; some scholars state 1958-1962. As a result of the collapsing economy during the famine years, many publications were produced on cheap paper with inferior bindings. See also the dissertation, The Historicization of Chinese Architecture: The Making of Architectural Historiography in China, from the Late Nineteenth Century to 1953, by author Min-Ying Wang. Seller Inventory # 008090
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