wūtóumén 烏頭門

Note (full)

Wutoumen refers to a type of elaborate gateway used in high ranking buildings through the Song dynasty, after which it declines in use. As we can tell from paintings and extant examples, the shape, size, and structure of wutoumen vary considerably. However, all wutoumen employ tall pillars flanking the gate. The name is likely derived from the raven-black ceramic tube-shaped finials on the top of these tall gate posts Cefu yuangui (Wang Qinruo (962-1025) 61.687). Detailed records of wutoumen exist in the Song dynasty Yingzao fashi (Li Jie 2009, 6.2a-4a). 3

The earliest known reference for the term wutoumen is in the Luoyang qielanji (547 CE) by Yang Xuanzhi (Zhou and Yang 2010, 8) and the term can be found in documents and images through the Tang and Song dynasties. There are several other names for wutoumen, including wutou damen 烏頭大門, biaojie 表楬, fayue 閥閱, and lingxingmen 欞星門 (see YZFS 2009, 6.13a, see also the illustrations and related concepts, below).4

During the Tang and Song dynasties wutoumen were usually used alone as the main gateway into the houses of officials of the fifth and sixth ranks (Tianyige bowuguan 2006, 344). They were also used in combinations of three, particularly as gateways leading to altars, temples, and palaces. In this case, the middle gate was larger than those on the two sides. Sometimes, wutoumen were used for side gates of administrative offices or in city fortifications.5

烏頭門是宋及以前主要使用於高等級建築的大門，其稱謂取自門柱上端套以黑色瓦筒的表征《冊府元龜》(王欽若（962-1025) 61.687)。宋以後“烏頭門”一詞使用較少見。烏頭門的形式在《營造法式》（1103）中有明確記載（李 2009，6.2a-4a）。實際在圖像資料中，烏頭門的尺寸、部件等做法均有所不同。但門柱形象的標誌性始終是其鮮明特征。6

烏頭門可一座單用，如建於五品或六品以上官員住宅前（天一阁 2006，344）；也可三座并用或與闕相結合使用，如建於壇廟、宮苑中等。6

烏頭門最早見於楊衒之的洛陽伽藍記（547 CE）(周 和 杨 2010，8），唐宋時期的文獻和圖像多有涉及，宋時烏頭門也稱烏頭大門、表楬、閥閱，亦俗稱欞星門（李 2009，6.13a)，此外烏頭正門、綽楔、烏頭綽楔（門）也是和其有著緊密關聯的名稱。但宋以後上述名詞詞義多有變化，不能與烏頭門等同。4

Related concepts

欞星門 língxīngmén

靈星門 língxīngmén

烏頭大門 wūtóudàmén

表楬 biǎojié

閥閱 fáyuè

烏頭正門 wūtóuzhèngmén

綽楔 chuòxiē

烏頭綽楔（門） wūtóuchuòxiē（mén）