Materials and installation of the brick-and-stone imitation timber components in the Yongyou Temple Sarira Pagoda

A groundbreaking analysis reveals the sophisticated materials and construction techniques used in the brick-and-stone imitation timber components of the Yongyou Temple Sarira Pagoda, a historic structure within China's UNESCO-listed Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples. The study identifies crystal- and glass-rich volcaniclastic tuff for monolithic carvings like Chuanwang and dougong, while high-fired bricks with amorphous phases and mullite/cristobalite were used for e-fang and bawangquan components, suggesting a firing temperature of 900–1000 °C. Joint mortars, rich in calcium lime with intentional sand additions, also show traces of organic starch, hinting at advanced craftsmanship during the Qianlong emperor's reign (1751–1771). The research employs a multi-disciplinary approach, including X-ray diffraction, petrographic microscopy, thermomechanical analysis, and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, to unravel the material composition and assembly logic of these architectural elements.

Zhou, W., Li, H., Liu, Y., Bai, H., Liu, X., Zhang, P., & Yu, Y. (2026). Materials and installation of the brick-and-stone imitation timber components in the Yongyou Temple Sarira Pagoda. Npj Heritage Science, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-026-02552-1