Abstract:

The issue of responsibility is of paramount importance in contemporary engineering activities. Craftsmen’s responsibility， as a core mechanism in ancient Chinese engineering practice， played a crucial role in ensuring quality， transmitting technical skills， and other key aspects. Its rich connotations provide an essential perspective for understanding the unique logic of traditional Chinese engineering civilization. Through a systematic analysis of classical texts such as The Artificers’Record （Kao Gong Ji） and Treatise on Architectural Methods　（Yingzao Fashi）， this study identifies the principal manifestations of craftsmen’s responsibility. These include： “craftsmanship as a vehicle of the Dao”， embodying the harmony between humanity and nature； “adherence to standards and procedures”， following established norms and measurements； “master-apprentice transmission”， ensuring the continuity of craftsmanship through mentorship； “inscribing the craftsman’s name on the artifact”， holding artisans accountable by marking their names on their work； “evaluation and merit-based rewards/punishments by master craftsmen”， assessing performance through supervision and incentives； and “annual maintenance and dredging”， guaranteeing long-term functionality through regular upkeep. These manifestations provide strong support for constructing a comprehensive contemporary responsibility system for craftsmen， encompassing the dimensions of fulfilling responsibility， upholding responsibility， inheriting responsibility， defining responsibility， supervising responsibility， and assuming responsibility. It offers insights for addressing such challenges in contemporary engineering activities as the lack of subject ethics， fragmented technical standards， difficulties in quality traceability， and weak whole-life-cycle operation and maintenance.

Key words: ancient engineering, craftsmen, responsibility, craftsmen’s responsibility, engineering ethics