On chi wei beast roof ridge decorations of the Bohai state

Abstract

Chi wei (a general term for beast decorations on roof ridges in ancient Chinese architecture) in the Bohai state can be divided into two types: Type A (having no beast masks on the head) and Type B (having beast masks on the head). Type A prevailed in the early to mid-period of the Bohai state, while Type B prevailed in the mid-to-late period. The application of chi wei in the Bohai state thus witnesses a transformation from Type A to B, which is synchronic with the transformation from chi wei to chi wen (the term given to later decorations that are similar to chi wei) in the Central Plains region of the Tang Dynasty. This gives historical witness that the Bohai state closely followed and received cultural influence from the Tang Dynasty.