Da Yu Memorial Hall

Da Yu, the founder of the Xia Dynasty - the first dynasty in Chinese history, was a legendary leader who exerted his continuous and utmost efforts to lead his people to fight against devastating floods for thirteen years in ancient times. The Da Yu Memorial Hall is located in the Dayu Mausoleum Scenic Area with a construction area of 4,800 square meters above ground and 22,000 square meters underground. The architects try to explore the internal clues of the building and the significance of the axis from the reference of extrinsic objects in a broader space, which would associate the history and context, and define the orientation and layout of the architecture as well. In the design, priority is given to respecting the order of nature. The architects reorganize the mountain and water layout on the original site and reinvent the relationship between architecture and nature with proper landscape design so as to hit a harmonious balance of architectural volume and natural features. The building also follows the cultural and historical order of the site. The holistic square form echoes the circular altar and Jiulong Tan (Nine Dragon Altar) and masters the collective relationship, reflecting the majestic demeanor of Da Yu. The Central Meditation Hall discards the worship for concrete and mimetic sculpture, but retains the remembering and resonating sensation; The Coexisting Courtyard weakens the traditions of respecting and revering, but integrates the royal power and civil rights; The Sharing Space transcends class and political barriers, reflecting the spirit of equality and people-orientation; All functional divisions of the architecture embody a more appropriate interpretation of the Da Yu spirit. The courtyard space in the architectural design bears the spiritual ballast of the Chinese nation to the ancestor Da Yu. It also serves as a place for people to get enlightenment, understand the inspiration, and absorb the spirit of the Chinese nation. The courtyard space in the site design highlights the adherence to the classic axis order, and works as a “courtyard” as well for the architects to organize space, connect nodes and respond to the natural landscapes. The architecture integrates with the surrounding worship spaces and natural environment. It obtains the coexisting wisdom of equality and harmony through light and shadows that overcome space and time boundaries, which is exactly the design soul of Da Yu Memorial Hall.