Carpentry (shingzo)

Carpenters owned their lands. They were called by the government to work on fortresses or monasteries or by their neighbors to work on a new house when necessary. The carpenter was also the architect and knew how to calculate the proportions of a house plan and measure. Assistants could help the carpenter. All the woodwork, beams, pillars, roof rafters and window frames were made on the ground and then set “ready made” in the building. Each piece had a special technical name and some carpenters used to keep a notebook but drawings were not common.