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Article

Reconstruction of the Batayizi Church in Shanxi: Based on the Construction of Italian Gothic Churches in the Context of Chinese Form and Order

by
Yini Tan
1,
Ziyi Ying
1,
Haizhuan Lin
1,
Cuina Zhang
2,
Wenhui Bao
1,* and
Hui Chen
1,*
1
College of Architecture and Energy Engineering, Wenzhou University of Technology, Wenzhou 325035, China
2
College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 3179; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173179
Submission received: 31 July 2025 / Revised: 24 August 2025 / Accepted: 2 September 2025 / Published: 4 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

As the cathedral serving Zuoyun and parts of Inner Mongolia, the Batayizi Church in Datong, Shanxi is the largest surviving Italian Gothic-style Catholic church in the region. The church features a rigorous layout and refined details, making it a significant case study for the dissemination and development of Western architecture in China. Previous studies have focused on local chronicles, aesthetic analyses, and the indigenization of Catholic churches in Shanxi. Due to the scarcity of archival materials, research on the architecture itself has not yet been conducted. The article first summarizes the construction rules of local form and order of Italian Gothic churches based on related church remains and literature. Next, it establishes the architectural form of the church by combining construction rules and field surveys. Finally, the reconstruction design of the church is completed. As the first reconstruction study of the Batayizi Church, this paper attempts to explore a Reconstruction path based on the construction of local form and order of the church and systematically restores the main facade, floor plan, and structural form of the church. The results not only provide insights for the reconstruction of modern Catholic churches in Shanxi but also offer new ideas and methods for the study of the localization of Western architecture in China.

1. Introduction

In the spread of Catholicism, churches, as symbols of religious culture, were brought to China along with missionaries. As pioneers of Western architectural culture, Catholic churches occupy an important position in the history of modern architecture in China. The architectural style of churches has gone through three stages: imitation, digestion and absorption, and local innovation, reflecting the fusion and selection between Chinese and Western cultures, ultimately achieving a recreation after the integration of local and foreign cultures.
The Batayizi Church is located in the northern part of Batayizi Village, Santun Township, Zuoyun County, Datong City, Shanxi Province. This area was historically a strategic pass on the border between Mongolian and Han territories and a key point along the Steppe Silk Road. It was once dotted with border forts and garrisoned villages, lined with shops, and home to numerous Buddhist temples and shrines. These elements, along with the frontier life, religious practices, defense systems, rituals, and cultural functions they embodied, together formed a diverse regional cultural landscape [1]. To the north of the church, the Zuoyun section of the Great Wall winds along the Motian Ridge. Because the beacon tower in this section of the Great Wall was the eighth in sequence, the village was named Batayizi (Eighth Tower Village). Accordingly, the church was named Batayizi Church of the Holy Mother, also known simply as Batayizi Church (Figure 1a). Serving as the cathedral for the Inner Mongolia–Zuoyun area, it is the largest surviving Italian Gothic-style Catholic church in the Datong region (Figure 1b). The church features a rigorous architectural layout and refined detailing. It reflects the historical process of the localization of Western culture in China [2], making it an important case study for the transmission and development of Western architecture in China [3].
According to historical records, in 1620, Italian Jesuit missionaries were invited to carry out missionary work in the Shanxi region. However, Catholicism was truly introduced into Batayizi Village during the Rites Controversy in the Qing dynasty. During this period, Franciscan missionaries utilized their distinctive evangelization approach, training Chinese clergy to preach among grassroots communities. During the Sunu Incident, a Chinese believer brought Catholicism to Batayizi village, where legends of miracles related to the faith were passed down, leading Batayizi to gradually become a sacred site and eventually develop into the Catholic center of Zuoyun and Inner Mongolia [4]. The ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Batayizi Church underwent three changes: from the Taiyuan Diocese (Italian Franciscans), to the Shuozhou Diocese (German Franciscans), and then to the Datong Diocese (Belgian Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary). Due to the impact of warfare, historical documents have been difficult to preserve continuously. During field visits and investigations, the research team compiled and analyzed the first-hand materials obtained, outlining the historical evolution of Batayizi Church, as shown in Table 1.
In 1868, Father Fugela of the Italian Franciscan Order came to Batayizi Village to preach. Due to the small number of believers at the time, he temporarily lived in a villager’s home and returned to Taiyuan within a year. As the Catholic community grew, in 1876, Chinese priest Saint Lorenzo built a church north of the current Batayizi Church site, styled after local rural dwellings. It was demolished in 1900.
In 1914, Father Bo of the Italian Franciscan Order rebuilt Batayizi Church in the style of an Italian Gothic church (the current site of Batayizi Church), naming it “Our Lady’s Church of Batayizi, Zuoyun, Shuoxian.” At the same time, more than 50 auxiliary rooms were constructed for use by traveling clergy. The completion of Batayizi Church marked the formal institutionalization of Catholicism in the area. Over the following decade, the Taiyuan Diocese sent various priests to carry out missionary work.
In 1926, Batayizi Village, along with Zuoyun, was reassigned to the Shuoxian Diocese, under the administration of the German Franciscan Order. In the following decade, priests including Father Wu, Father De, and Father Cai successively served in the church. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the last German priest, Father Su Side, abandoned the Batayizi Church, leading to its gradual abandonment. After the founding of the People’s Republic, the church was partially dismantled to its current remains.
In 1966, during the Cultural Revolution, Batayizi village was relocated. The villagers voluntarily demolished the church and used the bricks to build their homes, causing the main structure of the church to be almost completely lost, with only the bell tower surviving. In 1993, after the abolition of the Yanbei region, Zuoyun was incorporated into the Datong Diocese under the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Due to the sparse population and remote location of Batayizi Village, the church did not receive much attention. It was not until after 2000 that Batayizi Church began to attract attention from the Church and national cultural heritage authorities. In 2009, the site of Batayizi Church was recognized as a major discovery during the third national cultural relics survey and was included in the book Important New Discoveries from the Third National Cultural Relics Survey, 2009.
Due to war and other historical factors, nearly all construction drawings and historical records of Batayizi Church have been lost, which makes reconstruction efforts challenging. Current research materials focus mainly on three aspects:
(1)
Local gazetteers and religious histories, which document the spread of Catholicism and church construction in Shanxi, especially image archives from the church itself, provide crucial evidence for restoring the main façade [5];
(2)
The historical development of Catholic churches, which explores their evolution and regional characteristics, offers a broader perspective for this study [6];
(3)
The study of ruin aesthetics, which focuses on the artistic value of the church, serves as a key reference for analyzing its brick carvings [7].
In addition, the localization development of Chinese Catholic churches offers valuable insights for churches reconstruction. Although missionaries built churches in China based on Western styles [8], they gradually incorporated traditional Chinese elements through collaboration with local craftsmen, forming new combinations of technology and architectural forms. This gradually evolved into a localized Chinese church style in the first half of the 20th century. In terms of floor plan, following local living habits and traditional concepts, many churches adopted a north–south orientation, such as the Qingtang Catholic Church in Linxian, Shanxi, and the Shangpo Catholic Church in Shuozhou. On the main facade, many churches adopted the traditional Chinese “paifang” (gate archway) design. By incorporating traditional decorative elements, the exterior style of the churches became more aligned with Chinese regional culture [9]. For example, the Anqing Catholic Church in Anhui and the Beitang Catholic Church in Guiyang. In terms of structure, many churches used Chinese-style wooden beam trusses, which retained the spatial sense of Western architecture while utilizing the flexibility and economy of traditional Chinese wood structures. For example, the Holy Trinity Church in Shanghai, the Xishiku Church in Beijing, and St. John’s Cathedral in Hong Kong. Based on this, the research team explored the construction rules of architectural form and order using relevant church remains and literature, conducted comparative studies, and discussed multiple design schemes. At the same time, various ancient books on modern architectural construction, such as the “Missionary Builder: Suggestions—Plans” manual (hereinafter referred to as the “Manual”) and “New Methods of Architecture,” were consulted. Combined with on-site surveys, the dimensions of various church components were estimated. The results present the most complete reconstruction of the Batayizi Church and can also serve as a reference for similar cases.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Technical Approach

To further explore the architectural form and historical information of Batayizi Church and reproduce its spatial form, this paper collects relevant historical records, materials, and physical evidence based on an understanding of the church’s construction background to trace the original state of the church. First, representative church examples are selected, and combined with construction documents written by local craftsmen and Western missionaries, the construction rules of architectural form and order are outlined. Next, the architectural form to be restored is established by combining construction rules, church imagery data, and on-site surveys. Finally, the reconstruction of the church’s floor plan, facade, and structural form is carried out (Figure 2).

2.2. Design Rules of Form and Order

As an important component of modern architecture in China, churches followed constraints that fit their own context during the construction process. The “Manual” records: “not to follow the model of European concessions or of the American Protestants, but faithfully imitate the natives. The best orientation is a building with doors and windows facing south, for the northern room or building and the main room or building. It is always possible to open holes in the northern back wall and get breezes during the hot summers [10].” The above excerpt shows that during the transplantation of Western churches, local traditions were incorporated, gradually forming an order framework that covered aspects such as site selection, structure, building materials, and decoration. From the logic of rule creation, this process had to both highlight the characteristics of Western churches to achieve missionary purposes and follow local customs and cultural traditions to ensure construction effectiveness [11]. Therefore, in restoring the Batayizi Church, three types of representative church examples were selected: Italian churches of the same type, Gothic churches built by foreign missionaries in China, and other churches from the same period in the region (Table 2). Combined with construction documents written by local craftsmen and Western missionaries, the design paradigm of form and order of Italian Gothic churches in China is summarized to provide support for the reconstruction of Batayizi Church.
Table 2. Church examples (Figures S1–S3).
Table 2. Church examples (Figures S1–S3).
CategoryNameFloor PlanMain FacadeStructure and Materials
Gothic Churches in Italy [12]Orvieto Cathedral (1290–1591)Latin Cross Plan, East–West OrientationDecorative Gothic style, three-part compositionBrick-wood hybrid structure, wooden truss roof, wall arches as support; main body brick masonry, stone carvings as decoration
Siena Cathedral (1136–1382)Latin Cross Plan, East–West OrientationDecorative Gothic style, three-part composition, separation of decoration and structureStone masonry structure, partially brick-built, covered with marble; main body stone masonry, stone carvings as decoration
Milan Cathedral [13] (1386–1500)Latin Cross Plan, East–West OrientationFusion of Gothic and local styles, dense spires, intricate sculptures, strong verticalityCrossed vaults and barrel vaults combined, dry-stone bearing walls, covered with marble; main body stone masonry, stone carvings as decoration
Santa Croce Church (1248–1294)Latin Cross Plan, East–West OrientationGothic decoration emphasizing pointed arches, arcades, and window adornmentsBrick masonry structure, without flying buttresses, unique spatial organization; main body brick masonry, stone carvings as decoration
Gothic Churches Built by Foreign Missionaries in China [14]Xizhimen Catholic Church (1723–1912)Basilica style, north–south orientationThree-part composition, bell tower integrated with the facade, details incorporating Chinese elementsBrick-wood hybrid structure, brick walls with wooden columns, wooden truss roof, interior wooden vaulted ceiling in a Gothic style; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Xishiku Catholic Church (1703–1887)Latin cross style, north–south orientationThree-part composition, symmetrical arrangement centered on the bell tower, blending Chinese and Western decorationsBrick-wood hybrid structure, brick walls with brick columns, wooden truss roof, interior wooden vaulted ceiling in a Gothic style; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Dongjiaominxiang Catholic Church (1901–1904)Basilica style, north–south orientationThree-part composition, symmetrical arrangement centered on the bell tower, blending Chinese and Western decorationsBrick arch-column system, central hall and side aisles with brick-built eight-ribbed pointed arch vaults; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Hebei Daming Catholic Church (1917–1920)Latin cross style, north–south orientationThree-part composition, symmetrical arrangement centered on the bell tower, blending Chinese and Western decorationsBrick-wood hybrid structure, brick walls with brick columns, wooden truss roof, interior wooden vaulted ceiling in a Gothic style; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Other Churches in Shanxi Region from the Same Period [15]Xiyulin Catholic Church in Datong (1903)Basilica style, east–west orientationThree-part composition, bell tower symmetrically arranged in the center, Gothic styleBrick-wood hybrid structure, brick walls with brick columns, wooden truss roof; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Xin’anzhuang Catholic Church in Shuozhou (1913)Basilica style, north–south orientationThree-part composition, bell tower symmetrically arranged in the center, Gothic styleBrick-wood hybrid structure, brick walls with brick columns, wooden truss roof, interior wooden vaulted ceiling in a Gothic style; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Guyang Town Catholic Church (1924)Basilica style, east–west orientationThree-part composition, bell tower symmetrically arranged in the center, blending Gothic and Romanesque stylesBrick-wood hybrid structure, brick walls with stone columns, wooden truss roof; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Qingtang Catholic Church in Lin County (1912–1916)Latin cross style, north–south orientationThree-part composition, bell tower symmetrically arranged in the center, blending Chinese and Western decorationsBrick-wood hybrid structure, brick walls with brick columns, wooden truss roof, interior wooden vaulted ceiling in a Gothic style; main body brick masonry, decorative floral tiles
Summarizing the above three types of cases, it is found that Italian Gothic churches in China follow the following design rules. The floor plan is in the Basilica and Latin Cross styles, containing five elements—porch, nave, altar, sacristy, and confession room. The confession room has two layouts: it can be integrated with the altar to form a Basilica-style floor plan, or placed as an annex on both sides of the altar to form a Latin Cross-style floor plan. The facade adopts a three-part layout, symmetrically arranged with the bell tower at the center [16]. The details are in Gothic style, mixed with Chinese elements. The Western structure, during the transplantation process, is combined with traditional Chinese roof truss forms, forming two structural types (Figure 3). These are detailed in the “Manual” and “New Methods of Architecture”: 1. Brick arch-column system; 2. Brick walls, brick columns/stone columns/wooden columns, and wooden truss structures [17]. Three types of bricks were used to build the church: large bricks, thin bricks, and decorative bricks [18]. Large and thin bricks were used for the main walls of the church, while decorative bricks were used for the facade decoration.

2.3. On-Site Survey

The existing floor plan remains of the church were excavated and organized by clergy members. The dimensions, area, and functional layout of the ruins differ slightly from historical records (Figure 4a). The floor plan is of a basilica layout, oriented north–south. It measures 11,740 mm in width (east–west) and 22,340 mm in depth (north–south), with a total area of approximately 262 m2. Twelve exposed columns and six embedded columns divide the floor plan into a central nave and side aisles. The central nave is 4200 mm wide, and each side aisle is 2650 mm wide. The altar on the north side is elevated 150 mm above the floor level (Figure 4b). Two rows of 800 mm-diameter octagonal load-bearing columns are used to meet the span requirements. The column bases are brick-built, octagonal in plan, with a diameter of 800 mm. Each base consists of three stepped tiers, each 200 mm high, with a 75 mm inward offset per tier (Figure 4c).
Catholic churches in rural Shanxi vary in scale and exhibit eclectic styles, featuring atypical characteristics [19]. However, a magnificent main façade is an indispensable element of local Catholic churches, symbolizing the heavenly kingdom, embodying believers’ faith, and disseminating religious ideology, primarily serving as a totemic worship symbol [20]. Influenced by the foreign priests overseeing its construction, Batayizi Church was designed in the Italian Gothic style. The façade’s total length is 12,140 mm, with only the bell tower remaining, which measures 18,100 mm in height, 5000 mm in length, and 3200 mm in width. The bell tower is divided by eaves into five sections, with heights from the ground of 5300 mm, 7300 mm, 9300 mm, 11,640 mm, and 18,100 mm respectively. The bell tower buttresses are 11,640 mm high, 700 mm wide, and 500 mm thick, divided by eaves into three tiers, with heights from the ground of 4000 mm, 7500 mm, and 11,640 mm respectively (Figure 5a).
To imitate the white marble walls of Italian Gothic churches, the priests built local kilns to fire bricks, using light yellow clay bricks for the walls. Under sunlight, the church’s color closely resembles that of marble walls [21]. Among them, large and thin bricks were used for the main walls, while decorative bricks were used for the façade ornamentation. These decorative bricks range from 200 mm to 2500 mm in height, 100 mm to 400 mm in width, and 100 mm to 200 mm in thickness. The decorative brick patterns were brought from Europe by Italian clergy and locally molded and fired. The main entrance arch is 4100 mm high and 1300 mm wide; side doors are 3500 mm high and 1300 mm wide. Currently, twelve window openings remain, ranging from 1200 mm to 2900 mm in height.
Compared to other Catholic churches in Shanxi, the façade decorations of Batayizi Church are more realistic, natural, vivid, and three-dimensional, exhibiting a strong sculptural quality [22]. Influenced by local craftsmen, localized decorative elements such as inscribed plaques and couplets appear on the façade [23]. The decorative brick motifs on the façade all feature plants with religious significance. According to their forms, these can be broadly classified into string courses (Figure 5b), window grille decorations (Figure 5c), and acanthus leaf ornaments (Figure 5d).
Unlike treaty port cities, Shanxi, as an inland region, experienced Western-style architecture that was more constrained by local traditions [24]. The church construction was led by foreign clergy who, lacking knowledge in structural mechanics, could only imitate forms based on prior experience. The builders were mostly local craftsmen deeply influenced by traditional knowledge systems; consequently, during construction, issues such as “Lujin-Yanshua” (irregular jointing and trimming) frequently occurred [25].
Investigation revealed that the structural remains at the site can be classified into surviving components and trace remains. (1) Trace remains pertain to the roof truss components. Traces of the roof and purlins remain on the back of the bell tower. Survey measurements confirm the roof thickness at 200 mm, ridge purlin height 11,300 mm from the ground (Figure 6a), purlin spacing 1800 mm, rise height 1000 mm, rafter spacing 1400 mm, and roof slope of 35° (Figure 6b). (2) Surviving component remains include the load-bearing columns of the indoor side aisles and parts of the vault. On-site survey confirmed the side aisle height at 6600 mm. The load-bearing columns, built of brick and extending directly to the roof, are divided into upper and lower parts. The upper part has a reduced diameter to reduce self-weight and meet mechanical requirements. The lower part is 5400 mm high, comprising the base, shaft, and capital, with heights of 60 mm, 4000 mm, and 600 mm respectively (Figure 6c).

3. Results

3.1. Reconstruction of the Church Floor Plan

According to historical records, before the village relocation, the church was located at the center of Batayizi Village and, together with the ancillary buildings, formed a courtyard-style complex centered on the church, situated north of the village’s main road. The main hall, being the largest, was situated on the courtyard’s central axis, with more than 50 ancillary rooms symmetrically arranged around the church on its east, west, and north sides. The ancillary buildings, mainly priests’ living quarters, were located north of the main hall in a two-story residential style; other ancillary rooms were single-story residences. A well on the north side of the courtyard provided water for the clergy.
The excavated floor remains correspond to the church nave area, lacking spaces such as the altar, sacristy, and confessional. Based on the above, multiple design options for the confessional were explored during the floor plan reconstruction (Table 3). During field surveys, villagers were consulted to distinguish these two options, confirming reconstruction Scheme 1 as the basic floor plan style. The basilica floor plan is regular and rectangular, facilitating integration with wooden roof trusses, thus widely adopted among modern Shanxi Catholic churches, constituting the majority. It became the preferred floor plan style for Italian priests building Gothic churches in Shanxi [26]. For example, the Catholic Church in Xin’anzhuang, Shuozhou City, built by an Italian priest in 1913, features a floor plan consisting of a porch, nave, altar, and sacristy, with the nave divided into a central nave and side aisles by two rows of columns.
The restored main church floor plan measures approximately 29,610 mm north–south, 11,400 mm east–west, covering a total area of 346 m2, and according to historical records, can accommodate over 800 worshippers simultaneously (Figure 7). Unlike traditional Catholic church orientation, missionaries adapted to local climatic conditions by following Chinese customs, positioning the main entrance of Batayizi Church to the south and the altar to the north, resulting in a north-facing congregation layout [27]. The building adopts a basilica floor plan with a north–south symmetrical layout. The main door and two side doors correspond to the porch (4400 mm × 3000 mm) and side porches (3600 mm × 1500 mm) respectively, with a hexagonal spire bell tower above the porch.

3.2. Reconstruction of the Church Main Facade

Among various historical materials, only historical photographs of the church relatively completely document the form of the main facade. However, since these photos do not convey dimensional information of the main facade, they can only serve as important references for reconstruction. Although the existing facade is partially damaged, it retains dimensional information of the original facade. Therefore, the reconstruction work used the bell tower as a reference; by analyzing the relationship between the bell tower and facade, the dimensions of the main facade were determined, completing the facade restoration [28].
On-site survey and dimension analysis indicate that the missing gable wall section measures 4500 mm wide, 10,900 mm high, and 370 mm thick, arranged vertically in three segments. From ground level, the first segment is 4200 mm high, the second 6800 mm, and the third 10,900 mm. The gable wall buttress has a total height of 6800 mm, width of 700 mm, and thickness of 370 mm, divided by the eaves into two layers: the lower layer is 3500 mm high and the upper layer 6800 mm high. There are four spires in total, each measuring 600 mm in length, 60 mm in width, and 3700 mm in height, with the spire tip reaching 2000 mm high. The triangular gable ornament has a base length of 3100 mm and height of 3700 mm (Figure 8).
After comprehensive analysis, the research team concluded that the main facade of Batayizi Church exhibits characteristics of the decorative Gothic architectural style from northern Italy: the ornamentation lacks structural vitality and appears as a screen-like gable composed of sculptural elements. Additionally, due to construction costs and technical constraints, the church’s bell tower was not independently set apart as in Italian Gothic churches, but rather placed centrally on the main facade as a marker for the main entrance.
The main facade of Batayizi Church faithfully follows Western church compositional principles: centered on the bell tower, vertically divided into three sections, with symmetrical gable walls on both sides; the bell tower’s spire is tall and grand, while the flanking wings are comparatively lower. Horizontally, the facade is divided into four sections by the eaves and string courses, outlined as follows (Figure 9).
(1)
The ground floor features three pointed arch portals formed by three layers of pointed arches progressively receding; the arches are overlaid with vegetal brick carvings that conceal the original structural details. During construction, the pointed arches of the portals were built with plank arches, primarily supporting part of the wall load transferred to the doors.
(2)
The second floor serves as the visual center of the facade. Due to local technical limitations, no rose window was installed at the center; instead, a “Holy Mother Church” plaque was placed. The gable walls are adorned with two pointed arch blind windows, mimicking the style of Gothic pointed arch windows. The second floor is capped with an eave, below which brick corbels form a cross-shaped cornice decoration.
(3)
The third floor consists of the gable spire and pointed arch windows of the bell tower. The triangular spire is outlined with layered string courses, visually enhancing the facade’s depth; below, beam-supported eave boards bear the spire’s load, decorated with blind arcades to emphasize the facade’s layering.
(4)
The fourth floor features the bell tower’s spire. The square base corners are chamfered to form a hexagonal plan; after base preparation, bricks matching the spire’s slope were used to construct the spire. Finally, acanthus leaf brick carvings were used to conceal the joints at the spire’s ridge.
In the facade construction, with the introduction of Western bricklaying techniques and cement mortar at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Chinese craftsmen gradually realized that the handling of mortar was crucial to improving the load-bearing performance of brick walls. High-quality mortar not only reduces the use of “ding” bricks but also makes the construction process more simple and efficient. Therefore, the masonry method of the Batayizi Church no longer adheres to traditional techniques such as “one-shun-one-ding” and “three-shun-one-ding,” but instead uses the “empty-dou brick wall” method, developed by local craftsmen based on practical experience, and a wall structure built with alternating layers of shun bricks and one layer of ding bricks. In the facade decoration, brick carvings serve as the main decorative element. The patterns were introduced by missionaries from Europe, then locally molded and fired, achieving a transformation of the craftsmanship to suit local traditions.
Four types of brick carvings were restored: 1. Window grid decorations; 2. Blind arcades; 3. String courses [29]; 4. Acanthus leaf motifs.
(1)
Due to structural constraints, large windows could not be opened on the Batayizi Church facade; therefore, numerous blind windows were used to enhance the decorative effect (Figure 10a).
(2)
The beam-supported eave boards are the main components supporting the triangular spire of the gable wall, and their surfaces are decorated with blind arcades (Figure 10b). This decorative technique both weakens the vertical emphasis of the facade and reduces the heaviness of the wall.
(3)
There are two types of string courses on Batayizi Church. Wall string courses (Figure 10c) are located at junctions of different materials, geometric transitions, and decorative component connections, formed by specially shaped curved bricks creating a simple texture transition to the wall surface. The eave string course is cross-shaped (Figure 10d), composed of small bricks added above and below the horizontal bricks. Commonly found at roof-to-wall junctions, it serves as facade decoration and protects the wall from rainwater erosion.
(4)
The acanthus leaf motifs are vegetal decorative bricks. There are five types of acanthus leaf bricks on the facade (Figure 10e). Craftsmen depicted the plant characteristics with great precision, and this naturalistic approach makes the decorative bricks more realistic and lifelike.

3.3. Reconstructionof Church Structure

Due to the presence of wooden beam holes at the back of the site, it is speculated that the Batayizi Church used a truss structure. Through field investigation, the team learned from villagers that the church’s load-bearing components (walls and columns) are masonry, the roof frame is wooden, and the interior uses wooden vaults imitating Gothic ribbed vaults. This characteristic fully aligns with a truss structure composed of brick walls and brick columns. Over twenty churches in Shanxi use this structural type, accounting for one-third of existing churches in the region, including most diocesan cathedrals. For example, the Catholic Cathedral in Datong features no special elevation in the nave; instead, a pitched roof covers the roof frame, harmonizing the section and naturally creating a height difference between nave and aisles. This structure not only resembles traditional Western churches in interior spatial form but also reduces structural weight, enabling the possibility of large window openings [30].
The truss wooden roof structure was introduced to China in modern times and widely applied in modern churches and industrial buildings. This type of roof truss is documented in detail in both the “Manual” and “New Construction Methods.” The truss structure of brick walls and brick columns in Batayizi Church is referred to as the “European-style roof truss” in the “Manual” and named the “Double-column truss” in “New Construction Methods.” To further clarify the component information, this study organizes a comparative table based on component names mentioned in the “Manual” combined with those in the “New Construction Methods.” Detailed information is shown in Table 4.
Influenced by Shanxi’s construction techniques and building traditions, the application of Western-style roof trusses in church architecture is simplified, with the central vertical rod replaced by full-height load-bearing columns. Therefore, during the structural restoration, the team compared literature data with structural remains, ultimately restoring the component types and specifications of the Batayizi Church roof truss (Figure 11).
Truss structures became widely popular in Shanxi after 1900 and were the preferred structural style used by Italian priests when constructing churches. Compared with traditional Chinese roof frameworks, trusses are lighter in weight and facilitate larger span spaces. Brick walls combined with wooden roof frames form a basilica spatial structure. Compared to the lifting beam structure, this reduces the requirements for timber selection and processing difficulty, while significantly improving the height-to-span ratio and saving more materials than brick arch-pillar structures. In the truss structural system formed by central columns, beams, and principal rafters, the central columns support the beams to prevent deformation, dividing the interior into a nave and aisles with height differences.
Due to Shanxi craftsmen’s traditional preference and skill for wood over masonry, they often used Chinese traditional small-scale carpentry methods to imitate European church structural components, creating a common wooden skeleton vault ceiling style in modern Shanxi churches [31]. These ceilings are mainly used in churches with wooden truss structures, fully leveraging the simplicity of truss roofs without excessive intersecting beams. Churches employing this vault include the former Catholic Church in Qiangcheng Village, Zhaidian Town, Lucheng; the former Holy Family Catholic Church in Huangnian, Changzhi; and the Catholic Church in Nan Dubi, Taotangyu, Huozhou.
Craftsmen, following the basic principles of caisson ceiling construction, used metal joinery to connect multiple short wood segments to form a framework, then inlaid thin wooden strips between the framework to create a ribbed vault style. These wooden vaults consist of wall arches and crossing arches, with the wall arches oriented parallel or perpendicular to the church’s central axis. The crossing arches intersect at the vault timber located at the center of the “bay”; the vault timber is made of a single round wood piece, with a diameter of 200 mm in the nave and 300 mm in the aisles (Figure 12a). Both the nave and aisles adopt a cross vault style, while the sacristy uses a quadrant-cross vault form (Figure 12b).
According to the “Manual,” during vault panel construction, two layers of strips are arranged crosswise: the first layer perpendicular to the wall arches and transverse arches, and the second layer crossing the first layer at right angles. The wooden ceiling not only imitates the interior space of Western churches (Figure 12c) but also prevents sparrows from nesting and improves indoor acoustics [32], representing a local craftsman’s reinterpretation combining European masonry churches with indigenous material technologies.

4. Conclusions

This study uses the construction of Italian Gothic churches’ form and order in China as the research framework. By analyzing and integrating church examples and historical documents, it proposes a reconstruction path for Italian Gothic churches adapted to the characteristics of Chinese regions, and systematically restores the main facade, floor plan, and structural form of the Batayizi Church in Datong, Shanxi. The study not only fills the gap in research on the church’s architecture due to the lack of data but also provides a reference methodology for restoration.
The study shows that the Batayizi Church has a Basilica-style floor plan, oriented north to south. It reflects the adaptation of Italian Gothic churches to local spatial concepts during their spread in China. The main facade follows a three-part composition, with the bell tower at the center, while integrating Chinese decorative elements such as plaques and couplets, showcasing the exchange and fusion of foreign forms and local craftsmanship. In terms of structure, it uses a truss system combining brick walls, brick columns, and wooden trusses, which not only preserves the spatial characteristics of Western churches but also aligns with the building traditions of craftsmen in Shanxi.
Although the group layout and side elevation of the church remain to be further verified due to a lack of data, this study, as the first systematic reconstruction of the Batayizi Church, not only recreates its architectural appearance and provides a methodological reference for the reconstruction of modern Catholic churches in China, but also reveals the unique evolutionary path of Italian Gothic churches in the local context of China, offering new perspectives and ideas for the study of the localization of Western architecture in China.

Supplementary Materials

The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/buildings15173179/s1, Figure S1: Gothic Churches in Italy; Figure S2: Gothic Churches Built by Foreign Missionaries in China; Figure S3: Other Churches in Shanxi Region from the Same Period.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, W.B. and H.C.; Data Curation, Y.T.; Formal Analysis, W.B.; Investigation, Y.T. and Z.Y.; Methodology, W.B. and H.C.; Project Administration, H.C.; Supervision, H.C. and W.B.; Validation, H.L. and C.Z.; Visualization, Y.T.; Writing—Original Draft, W.B. and Y.T.; Writing—Review and Editing, W.B. and Y.T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the Zhejiang Social Sciences Association in 2025 (No. 2025B118).

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article/Supplementary Material. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Figure 1. (a) View of the Batayizi Church, (b) Location of Datong City.
Figure 1. (a) View of the Batayizi Church, (b) Location of Datong City.
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Figure 2. Technical Approach Diagram.
Figure 2. Technical Approach Diagram.
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Figure 3. Structural System. (a) Brick arch-column system, (b) Brick walls, brick columns/stone columns/wooden columns, wooden truss structures.
Figure 3. Structural System. (a) Brick arch-column system, (b) Brick walls, brick columns/stone columns/wooden columns, wooden truss structures.
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Figure 4. Current Floor Plan of Batayizi Church (units: mm), (a) Photograph of the Floor Plan, (b) Measured Floor Plan Drawing, (c) Measured Column Base Drawing.
Figure 4. Current Floor Plan of Batayizi Church (units: mm), (a) Photograph of the Floor Plan, (b) Measured Floor Plan Drawing, (c) Measured Column Base Drawing.
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Figure 5. Elevation Drawings unit (mm): (a) Measured Elevation, (b) String Course, (c) Window Grille Decoration, (d) Acanthus Leaf Ornament.
Figure 5. Elevation Drawings unit (mm): (a) Measured Elevation, (b) String Course, (c) Window Grille Decoration, (d) Acanthus Leaf Ornament.
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Figure 6. Structural Remains Survey Drawings (units: mm) (a) Structural Remains Analysis Drawing, (b) Roof Truss Remains, (c) Indoor Component Remains.
Figure 6. Structural Remains Survey Drawings (units: mm) (a) Structural Remains Analysis Drawing, (b) Roof Truss Remains, (c) Indoor Component Remains.
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Figure 7. Restored Floor Plan (units: mm).
Figure 7. Restored Floor Plan (units: mm).
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Figure 8. Main Facade Dimension Analysis (units: m).
Figure 8. Main Facade Dimension Analysis (units: m).
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Figure 9. Restored Main Facade Drawing (units: m).
Figure 9. Restored Main Facade Drawing (units: m).
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Figure 10. Restored Facade Decorative Brick Drawings, (a) Blind Window, (b) Blind Arcade, (c) Wall String Course, (d) Eave String Course, (e) Acanthus Leaf Motif.
Figure 10. Restored Facade Decorative Brick Drawings, (a) Blind Window, (b) Blind Arcade, (c) Wall String Course, (d) Eave String Course, (e) Acanthus Leaf Motif.
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Figure 11. Structural Reconstruction Diagram (Unit: mm).
Figure 11. Structural Reconstruction Diagram (Unit: mm).
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Figure 12. Dome schematic diagram. (a) Dome cross-sectional view. (b) Dome plan view, (c) Sectional axonometric view.
Figure 12. Dome schematic diagram. (a) Dome cross-sectional view. (b) Dome plan view, (c) Sectional axonometric view.
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Table 1. Historical Evolution of Batizi Church.
Table 1. Historical Evolution of Batizi Church.
TimeResident PriestChurch StatusAffiliated Diocese/Religious Order
1868Father Fugela (Italy)NoneTaiyuan Diocese/Italian Franciscan Order
1876Father Saint Laurence (China)Initial Construction
1900Father Saint Laurence (China)Demolished
1914Father Bai (Italy)Reconstruction
1926–1942Father Wu (Germany), Father De (Unknown), Father Wang Nai (Unknown), Father Cai (Unknown), Father Li (Unknown), Father Suside (Germany)AbandonedShuoxian Diocese/German Franciscan Order
1942–1993NoneThe church was demolished, leaving only the bell towerNone
2000–2010Father Niu (China)ExcavatedDatong Diocese/Belgian Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
2010–PresentFather Pan (China)
Table 3. Comparison of Church Floor Plan Reconstruction Schemes.
Table 3. Comparison of Church Floor Plan Reconstruction Schemes.
Reconstruction SchemeFloor Plan DiagramAltar Partition WallConfessional
Scheme 1: Basilica-style Floor PlanBuildings 15 03179 i001YesIntegrated with the altar
Scheme 2: Latin Cross Floor PlanBuildings 15 03179 i002NoIndependently arranged
Table 4. Detailed Information of Roof Truss Components.
Table 4. Detailed Information of Roof Truss Components.
LocationBuilding StructureManualNew Construction MethodsCross-Sectional Dimensions (Thickness × Width)
Upper diagonal timber of trussUpper chordPrincipal rafterMain brace127 mm × 127 mm
Lower diagonal timber of trussLower chordBeamTie beam305 mm × 127 mm
Longest vertical post of the trussCentral vertical postCentral columnMain upright post127 mm × 127 mm
Diagonal brace in the trussDiagonal supportDiagonal supportSecondary brace127 mm × 64 mm
Vertical post in the trussWeb memberSmall strutUpright post125 mm × 125 mm
Longitudinal and transverse connections between trussesPurlinPurlinPurlin150 mm × 100 mm
Ridge purlin Ridge beam 150 mm × 100 mm
Lath on purlinRafterRafterRafter50 mm × 50 mm
Overhanging eaves Flying rafter 1/15 × wall height
To prevent purlins from slippingPurlin supportPurlin support
To support the bottom of raftersEarth purlinEarth purlinSleepers150 mm × 100 mm
To support beams and the roofPrincipal rafterPrincipal rafterRafter50 mm × 50 mm
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MDPI and ACS Style

Tan, Y.; Ying, Z.; Lin, H.; Zhang, C.; Bao, W.; Chen, H. Reconstruction of the Batayizi Church in Shanxi: Based on the Construction of Italian Gothic Churches in the Context of Chinese Form and Order. Buildings 2025, 15, 3179. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173179

AMA Style

Tan Y, Ying Z, Lin H, Zhang C, Bao W, Chen H. Reconstruction of the Batayizi Church in Shanxi: Based on the Construction of Italian Gothic Churches in the Context of Chinese Form and Order. Buildings. 2025; 15(17):3179. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173179

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tan, Yini, Ziyi Ying, Haizhuan Lin, Cuina Zhang, Wenhui Bao, and Hui Chen. 2025. "Reconstruction of the Batayizi Church in Shanxi: Based on the Construction of Italian Gothic Churches in the Context of Chinese Form and Order" Buildings 15, no. 17: 3179. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173179

APA Style

Tan, Y., Ying, Z., Lin, H., Zhang, C., Bao, W., & Chen, H. (2025). Reconstruction of the Batayizi Church in Shanxi: Based on the Construction of Italian Gothic Churches in the Context of Chinese Form and Order. Buildings, 15(17), 3179. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173179

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