Lukang Longshan Temple, Taiwan

In March of 2016, CyArk partnered with the China University of Technology (CUTe) and the Taiwanese Bureau of Cultural Heritage to digitally document the Lukang Longshan Temple in Changhua, Taiwan. CyArk employed the latest data capture technologies to document the entire complex, including the four principal buildings and connecting courtyards. As part of this expedition, CyArk also trained students from the Center for Cultural Sites Rehabilitation and Development program at CUTe on digital documentation techniques. The data generated through the documentation efforts complements existing historical documentation of the site and advances the capability of site managers for planning future preservation efforts.

The Lukang Longshan Temple is particularly renowned for the craftsmanship displayed on its caisson ceiling, the oldest and largest in Taiwan. A caisson, otherwise known as a spider web ceiling, is a sunken ceiling panel typically located in the center of East Asian temples or palaces. At the Lukang Longshan temple the Caisson ceiling was constructed without nails and is held together by decorated interlocking wooden brackets, known as dougongs. The center of the caisson features a colorful painting of a dragon, a common theme for this architectural feature. Considered effective in the warding off of evil, these ceilings are also acoustic marvels, amplifying and enhancing the sound of the stage performances.