Yu Hao

CHINA, Zhejiang, Hangzhou; Five Dynasties to Northern Song dynasty

Yu Hao was an architect who specialized in building pagodas. The three fascicles of the Manual of Wooden Architecture that he wrote were the first written works regarding architectural skills in China. Unfortunately, the manuscripts no longer exist.
At Kaibao Temple in Henan, Yu built a pagoda in 989 during the Northern Song dynasty (907–1127) It was the tallest pagoda in the province then. The sturdy octagon-shaped wood structure was constructed with a slight tilt toward the northwest. It was said that after the pagoda was completed, Yu requested to become a monk and he died several months later.
According to historical records, Yu trained the builders to place wooden boards on each level and secure them with iron nails to stabilize the structure of the unstable Fantian Temple Pagoda. His skills are still relevant in modern architecture.