Splendour In Wood: Buddhist Monasteries Of Burma by Sylvia Fraser-Lu
4to. pp. 344. profusely illustrated in colour & b/w. glossary. bibliography. index. hardcover. dw. (fine condition). [Bangkok]: Weatherhill Inc in cooperation with Orchid Press, [2001].
ISBN-10: 083480493X / ISBN-13: 9780834804937
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Burmese wooden monasteries and related pavilions have not received the scholarly attention that they deserve. This is unfortunate, given the particularly ephemeral nature of wood in a damp tropical climate, with voracious insect life and the ever-present risk of floods, fire and earthquakes. Many extant structures are in a dilapidated condition; either the original donors have moved away or their descendants no longer have adequate financial resources to maintain a forebear's work.
This book introduces the reader to the beauty and genius of Burmese craftsmanship as expressed in the construction and embellishment of Buddhist wooden monasteries. For posterity, the details of many wooden monasteries are recorded—not only the "old" and the "beautiful," but also others with architectural features of note. The book is copiously illustrated with sketches of floor plans and architectural details of many monasteries as well as with photographs of significant features of temple architecture.