Decode the 2,500-year-old architecture to help the Forbidden City pass 200 earthquakes

The Forbidden City or the Palace, is the palace of dynasties from the middle of the Ming Dynasty to the end of China's Qing Dynasty. With its strange and mysterious architecture, the building only with wooden roof designs has the ability to withstand more than 200 intense earthquakes over 600 years, surprising the scientific community.

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Decode the 2,500-year-old architecture to help the Forbidden City pass 200 earthquakes Picture 1
The Forbidden City stood firm for 600 years despite experiencing 200 large and small earthquakes.

According to the researchers, architects in ancient China have developed 'fighting', a type of structure with many rectangular wooden frames capable of reducing the impact of earthquakes. buildings right from 500 BC.

Decode the 2,500-year-old architecture to help the Forbidden City pass 200 earthquakes Picture 2 Fighting is also the unique structural secret of the buildings in the Forbidden City.

Fighting is also a type of roof structure according to the technique of overlapping (the sections of roof supports in the form of wooden beams to support roof diaphragm, overlap). It not only has the effect of expanding the porch area, increasing the bearing capacity but also acts as a detail to adorn and decorate the palaces at the Forbidden City.

Decode the 2,500-year-old architecture to help the Forbidden City pass 200 earthquakes Picture 3
"Duel" has a very solid and flexible special structure.

The earthquake's ability to "treat" this particular structure has been proven historically, it has helped the Palace sustain 200 earthquakes over 600 years, including the most "intense" battles. 20th century with 9.5 Richter scale.

Professional carpenters have conducted extraordinary bearing tests of this structure. They built a model with a meticulously structured and traditional way right above the surface of the vibrating table.

Later, a system simulating earthquakes was used to challenge the house. The results of the tests show that this 1-0-2 building architecture can withstand the magnitude of the earthquake up to 10.1 Richter without falling down, the frame and roof still stand firm . This makes researchers and architects admire the ingenuity and ingenuity of talented craftsmen 2,500 years ago.

Decode the 2,500-year-old architecture to help the Forbidden City pass 200 earthquakes Picture 4
"Fighting Battle" has the ability to support the expanded porch and increase the bearing capacity.

Specially constructed structures are also often applied in the position under the eaves and roofs. The installation of wooden bars in accordance with the mold, rhythmic joints make this structure even without using any glue but still firmly fix the roof and frame even though the earthquake occurs.

Decode the 2,500-year-old architecture to help the Forbidden City pass 200 earthquakes Picture 5 Fighting was widely used in Chinese history since the Spring and Autumn Period (circa 770 - 476 BC).

Even the special type of architecture capable of resisting earthquakes is much more effective than today's technology applications.

Check out the video below to better understand the earthquake resistance that is extremely effective for houses with the mysterious architecture in the Forbidden City.