Theory
Cai-fen Modular System
Explore in the Atlas →Song-dynasty timber proportioning by cai (section) and fen (sub-module), with eight grades of cai assigned by building rank, codified in the Yingzao Fashi.
Tectonics Type Knowledge
Details
- Introduced
- 1103
Referenced by
- Li Jie 李誡 proposed
- Chinese Building Standards in the 12th Century articulates
- Annotated Yingzao Fashi (Yingzao Fashi Zhushi 營造法式註釋) articulates
- Yingzao Fashi 營造法式 articulates
- Else Glahn developed
- Nancy Shatzman Steinhardt extends
Sources
- Glahn, E. Chinese Building Standards in the 12th Century. 1981.
Cite this entry
First published May 2026Last revised Jul 2026
CLAD. "Cai-fen Modular System." Atlas of Architectural Thought. CLAD, 2026. https://www.cl-ad.com.au/research/atlas/theory/cai-fen-modular-system/. Accessed July 17, 2026.