| Anonymous, Sung Dynasty (960-1279) Handscroll section, ink and color on silk, 33.1 x 60 cm This work takes the form of a narrative handscroll with an illustration on the right and text to the left. This scene shows when Emperor Chen-tsung (r. 998-1022) ordered officials in 1007 to the T'ai-ch'ing Hall, where imperial calligraphy was kept. There, they viewed the writings of Emperor T'ai-tsung (r. 976-997) and compiled texts. The T'ai-ch'ing Hall shown here is composed of a raised foundation, a column, bracket, and eave system, and a projecting veranda around the building all arranged in an orderly and symmetrical manner. The wall facing the viewer is composed of seven bays. The center bay is slightly wider than the secondary and tertiary bays to either side. The hip-and-gable roof with double eaves has, at the top, ch'ih-wen ornaments at either end of the main ridge. Animal heads serve as hip ornaments. The timber used for the bracket sets appears quite large, transferring the weight of the roof to the columns under the eaves. Simple yet powerful, they create a straightforward style reminiscent of that from the T'ang dynasty (618-907). This work reveals a hierarchical "dual entry" system used in the T'ang and Sung dynasties, in which the left stairs were reserved for the "host" and the right for "guests."
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