Liu Shiying and Xueyi Society Building: An Early Chinese Architect's Pursuit of Modernity.

From 1930 to 1932, as an architect and responsible engineer, Liu Shiying designed Xueyi Society Building, his first modernist work in Shanghai. Based on the records of the time, this paper studies the construction process and maintains that it was a modern building aiming at higher level but achieving lower in architectural art. Such experience influenced Liu's ideas about modern architecture in three aspects: principals, methods and practices. From these findings, it could be concluded that Liu Shiying's pursuit of modernity was not at all confined to styles, but implemented innovations in architectural art to encourage culture and eventually improve the society. It will provide novel historical significance and contemporary values to re-understand and study the works and experiences of Liu Shiying and other early Chinese architects from this perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]