In recent excavations of sites in the Ye City and Jinyang regions,several fragments of hollow bricks featuring images from the Eastern Wei and Northern Qi periods have been uncovered.These bricks can be categorized into two types based on their shapes:flat rectangular hollow bricks and cylindrical hollow bricks,with slight variations in their dimensions.Microscopic observations of the hollow bricks excavated from the Ye City area suggest insights into their manufacturing techniques and imprinting processes.First,the hollow brick blanks were created using a groove adhesion method.Second,during the imprinting of images,a small mold pressing technique was employed,using wooden molds carved with various methods,including intaglio,relief,and incised lines.Third,the imprinting process generally followed a sequence of applying the border decorations first,followed by the main motifs;some cylindrical hollow bricks with lotus designs exhibited a"post-composite pattern"through adjustments in the imprinting order and pressure.Building on this foundation,the decorative combinations of the various hollow bricks have been reconstructed.The hollow bricks from the Ye City and Jinyang regions display a high degree of similarity while also showcasing unique characteristics.Historical records indicate that these image-embossed hollow bricks were produced primarily in the early years of the Eastern Wei and Northern Qi.The flat rectangular image hollow bricks were mainly used for steps in high-status buildings,while the cylindrical hollow bricks likely served as posts for railings.
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