In my last blog I have introduced the ancient Changxin Lamp from the Western Han Dynasty, known as the most remarkable lamp in the Chinese history. The significance of this bronze-gilt-in-gold lamp lies not in its appearance but its instrumentality, which ties tightly to its construction.
Unlike the heavy bronze wears in Qin Dynasity, the hollow Changxin Lamp is delicate and light. The hollowed body figure works as a smoke purifier, making it self-sustainable. Smoke from the candle rises into the sleeve of the figurine and driven down the arm into the body, where water is held to dissolve the smoke and dust. However, as the dust and wax accumulated inside the lamp, regular cleaning of the lamp became necessary, and the construction of the lamp was the key to the ease of this cleaning process.
Changxin Lamp was designed to be disassembled into six parts: head, body, right arm, panels, candle plate, and lamp base. The right arm and the candle plate were where most of the wax accumulated. Being able to remove these parts not only brought convenience for cleaning, but also made it easy for repair, hence increased the life span of the lamp. The assembly of pre-made components had also allowed lamp to become interactive and dynamic, which enhanced the functionality of the lamp. For example, the panels of the lamp can slide along the tracks on the candle plate to control the wind and the intensity of light; the candle plate itself can spin around the axis on the lamp base to control the direction of light. It is a big step forward in the technological aspect on bronze wear.
This idea of prefabrication and assembly is becoming more and more popular nowadays, especially in architecture construction because of the increase speed in construction. However, the way an object or a building is constructed ties directed with its purpose and function. Like the Changxin Lamp, the method of construction should enhance the quality of the object or space.
Bizhou Qian
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