In 1926, French Jesuit missionaries from Darning published at Xianxian （Hebei province） a little handbook for church construction in Northern China： “Le missionnaire constructeur, conseils-plans” （“The missiona...In 1926, French Jesuit missionaries from Darning published at Xianxian （Hebei province） a little handbook for church construction in Northern China： “Le missionnaire constructeur, conseils-plans” （“The missionary builder： advice-plans”）, containing 67 pages of text and 54 plates. After a short introduction about handbooks and pattern books of churches, this paper describes and analyses the handbooks content and its different practical aspects about building materials, masonry, roofs, etc. The book, however, is more than a compilation of technical hints and reveals a lot about the missionaries＇ perception of Chinese building traditions as well as the transmission of Western techniques to Chinese workers. The paper also contextuatizes the handbook and tnes to identify both the authors and the addressees. In the mid-1920s, the Vatican launched the Christian inculturution process in China, which concerned architecture too. Nevertheless, many missionaries resisted, preferring Gothic or Italianate architecture to a new Sino-Christian style. The handbook participated in this debate.展开更多
文摘In 1926, French Jesuit missionaries from Darning published at Xianxian （Hebei province） a little handbook for church construction in Northern China： “Le missionnaire constructeur, conseils-plans” （“The missionary builder： advice-plans”）, containing 67 pages of text and 54 plates. After a short introduction about handbooks and pattern books of churches, this paper describes and analyses the handbooks content and its different practical aspects about building materials, masonry, roofs, etc. The book, however, is more than a compilation of technical hints and reveals a lot about the missionaries＇ perception of Chinese building traditions as well as the transmission of Western techniques to Chinese workers. The paper also contextuatizes the handbook and tnes to identify both the authors and the addressees. In the mid-1920s, the Vatican launched the Christian inculturution process in China, which concerned architecture too. Nevertheless, many missionaries resisted, preferring Gothic or Italianate architecture to a new Sino-Christian style. The handbook participated in this debate.
