A special exhibition on doors and windows opened at Taipei’s Museum 207 on Saturday, seeking to show younger visitors the generational difference in the design and placement of doors and windows, and offer older visitors a chance to relive their childhood memories.
The exhibition has nine sections, each devoted to an object, such as doors, door gods and windows, or the materials they were made from, such as glass, metal or wood, museum employee Chen Kuo-tzu (陳國慈) said.
Door gods are two deity figures pasted on doors to ward off malign spirits and the exhibit features various door gods from different temples.
While usually unobtrusive and unnoticed, the appearance of doors and windows shape how a person remembers their surroundings, Chen said.
Using doors as an example, Chen said that traditional doors — two thin slats of wood — represent the mindset that people welcome their neighbors dropping in for a visit.
“However, in modern times we see a completely different mindset, in which doors are made of thick metal — an obvious indicator that uninvited entry is not welcome,” Chen said.
The cultural implications of doors and windows are deep and varied, Muye Culture Co founder Hsu Yi-hung (徐逸鴻) said, adding that there is a heavy emphasis on windows and doors in Taiwanese culture, which is evident from the intricate woodwork and adornments on the objects.
Feng shui requirements and the adoption of Japanese placement of windows to maximize airflow presented challenges to artisans, Hsu said, adding that accessories and materials also provide a layer of cultural depth.
The exhibit features a section on the precursors to modern burglarproof windows, the museum said, adding that another is devoted to traditional measurement tools used by artisans.
The most commonly used tool, called the Lu Ban ruler (魯班尺), has some restrictions, museum director Huan An-chi (華安綺) said.
Lu Ban (魯班) was renowned for constructing great buildings during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was later deified as the patron deity of builders, artisans and woodworkers.
Certain sections of the ruler — of which there are eight — under the label guan (官) cannot be used to measure the main entrance to a residence, as it is believed to diminish the dweller’s luck, while the yi (義) section cannot be used to measure bedchambers, Hua said.
“We hope to pass on this cultural knowledge through the exhibit, as the meaning of such words, even when transcribed onto modern tape rulers, are often lost to the younger generation,” Hua said.
The exhibition is to run through Jan. 6 next year, Hua said.
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