Liang and Lin: Partners in Exploring China's Architectural Past [Paperback]

Wilma Fairbank (Author), Jonathan Spence (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2008

Wilma Fairbank documents, from both a historical and a uniquely personal perspective, the professional and personal achievements of Lin Whei-yin and Liang Sicheng. Liang and Lin were born in early twentieth-century China, a time when the influences of modernism were slowly bearing down on the traditional culture. In the 1920s, they traveled together to the Beaux Arts universe of Philadelphia, where they both graduated with honors from the architecture department of the University of Pennsylvania. Married in 1928, they returned to their native land and became the first two professors at the newly founded school of architecture in Shenyang's Tung Pei University.

Wilma Fairbank and her husband, John King Fairbank, Harvard University's eminent historian of modern China, were lifelong friends of Liang and Lin. This relationship allows the author, herself a noted researcher of art and architecture, to paint a vivid picture of the couple within the context of China's turbulent past. Fairbank recounts how Liang and Lin used their Western training to initiate the study of China's architectural evolution. She also documents—as seen through the eyes of Liang and Lin—the tragic events that ravaged the Chinese homeland and its people: the 1937 invasion and bombings by the Japanese military and the ensuing illness and poverty; World War II and the civil war; the rise to power of the Communist government in 1949; and the victimization of the scholar class during the Cultural Revolution of 1966-76.

Fairbank provides a highly readable, emotionally charged personal account of the couple's lives, and the numerous and sometimes horrific torments and humiliations they suffered. And, finally, when it was all too late, the posthumous praise and recognition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Liang and Lin is the story of a romance and of a heroic struggle against great odds. . . . Wilma Fairbank, who is the only person . . . who could have written this story, has created an affecting portrait of the final years of an epoch when Old China faded away and New China took its place."—New York Times

"No one who reads it will forget it."—Boston Globe

About the Author

Wilma Fairbank (1909-2002) is editor of Liang Sicheng's A Pictoral History of Chinese Architecture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (December 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812220404
• ISBN-13: 978-0812220407
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #757,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Genuine Chinese Architects, May 15, 2001

By 

koo siu fung, stone (Hong Kong, People's Republic of China) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Liang and Lin: Partners in Exploring China's Architectural Past (Hardcover)

Lin & Liang are forrunners of contemporary Chinese architecture. Like most idealistic intellectuals of the period, they went out to learn from the west and returned back home to contribute what they had learned.

This is an important trend in modern Chinese history. The long list of intellectuals includes Sun Yat Sen, Liang Qi Chao(the father of Liang)Chao Yuan Ren, Zhou En Lai, Tang Xiao Ping,.... It was a traumatic period for modern China. It was a time of possibilities, opportunities and frustrations.

One could not imagine the archievement and contributions of modern China to the world without these intellectuals.

The stories as told by Madame Wilma Fairbank is descriptive, touching and informative at the same time. Mrs. Fairbank(wife of John Fairbank) is a poet and historian at the same time. The book (text and images)is western journalism at its best.

The most difficult period for Lin & Liang is not Sino-Japanese War period. Although physically, Lin suffered from fleeing around and illness, but their spirit were high and friends were always around.

The most difficult period was after the liberation. Lin & Liang were destined to work with Chairman Mao, the founder of PRC. Based on their fruitful research and intellectual mind, they come up with the conclusion and dedicated their lives to the preservation of Chinese artefacts, and in most cases, Chinese architectural heritage.

As detailed descripted and well put by Madame Fairbank in the book, Lin & Liang travelled all over China and had produced hundreds and thousands of research papers with surveyed plans and photos. Wilma should have known, she joined and lived with them more than once. The Liangs' ideal and proposals to preserve holistically the ancient city of Beijing must had been in conflict with Chairman Mao's ideas. As the founder of PRC, Mao of course, would have his own plans. He believes, to me wrongly, that "Man would defeat Nature". He would like to see factories and other new buildings rising on the horizons of Beijing, Nanjing and everywhere in China.

This should be a matter of opinion. But as we all know, for a long period of time in contemporary China, a different opinion with Mao would be interpreted as a revisionist liner against the Communist Party! That's why Liang suffered so much and Lin died too young to suffer with him.

This is an important historic lesson that we, as a human being should all learn and study. Through the process of modernization, how should we deal with our heritage and nature? Liang proposed to preserve Old Beijing holistically. Beijing, as observed by Liang rightly, is the most complete form of an ancient city in the world! He is not an old man keeping only the 'Olive Tree'. Lin and Liang are genuine Chinese Architects. They proposed to preserve the old city walls and towers so that they could become civi open spaces and landscapes. People can enjoy history and live in history walking through.

Liang's second wife, Madame Lin Zhu said recently,"In the civic society, Liang is respected by many." Well put Madame Lin. (Lin Zhu's piece is included in the book also very moving.)

The problem is, it takes a few thousand years to build a civi society and a civiization, only takes a few second to destroy them. Should we not give deep thoughts to it.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book written with life!, October 7, 2000

By 

Joe L. (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Liang and Lin: Partners in Exploring China's Architectural Past (Hardcover)

Anyone who want to know more about Liang Si-chen and Lin Hui-yin and their firends should read this book.

To be honest, I feel what make this book so interesting is the life story of Lin and Liang and their friendship with friends, especially the Fairbanks. The Architecture contents are good too, but the life stories of Lin and Liang, two most important pioneers in Ancent Chinese Architecture studies, make the book very charming and worth of reading.

You will know more about the history of 20th century China, before, during and after WWII. You will see how communists grab power in this used-to-be-great country and gradually turn these respectible scholars' life upside down. How they were changed from eager supporter of Chairman Mao's so called 'New China' into losing the minimal hope to live on. This is a great book, written by John F Fairbank's wife, to memorize their true friendship with Liang and Lin.

This is not just another book about architecture. This is a book written with life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving and nostalgic story, March 22, 2009

By 

R. Duan "R. D." (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Liang and Lin: Partners in Exploring China's Architectural Past (Paperback)

This is a fantastic book to understand the origin of study of Chinese ancient architectures. Their expeirences of exploring intact ancient temples and pagodaes are really interesting and inspiring. It is also inspiring to understand how the bicultural education and bring-up background stimulated these two excellent scholars to discern and insist on the career goal that they persistently pursued for their whole life, desite the tough circumstances of research and the ruthless Japanese invasion. Their lifelong friendship with the Fairbanks is also fantastic. It is amazing that they overcame those cultural and language obstacles, and became soul mates to support each other.