Siheyuan
Siheyuan ( Chinese 四合院 , Pinyin sìhéyuàn , Jyutping sei 3 hap 6 jyun 6 * 2 , also 四合 房 , sìhéfáng , Jyutping sei 3 hap 6 fong 4 ) is a Chinese courtyard that is surrounded by houses in all four directions. Siheyuan literally means a courtyard enclosed on four sides, i.e. a four-sided courtyard.
background
A Siheyuan is a traditional type of residential development that can be found all over China and especially in the area in and around Beijing . The literal meaning describes an inner courtyard that is delimited and enclosed by four buildings. Therefore, such a courtyard is sometimes referred to as a "Chinese rectangle". In antiquity, all buildings such as temples, palaces or courtyards were based on such a basic pattern. This structure and arrangement of the buildings outwardly shows the wealth or prosperity of the owner who was able to support an extended family.
description
The basic shape is a rectangular inner courtyard, which is enclosed by four assemblies, the windows and doors of which open to this courtyard and thus turn the inner courtyard into a "green room" or meeting point for all roommates. However, the rapid growth of the population led to a lack of space as early as 1900, which made it difficult to use the inner courtyards.
The alleys and the residential areas made up of such alleys are called hutong . The gate of most of the Siheyuan opens to the south. That is why the hutongs usually run from east to west.
The street front of a Siheyuan is marked by a high wall. The only way to get into the courtyard is through a high threshold, the purpose of which is to keep dust and mice away. It should also keep bad luck away.
Web links
- Ingrid Lübke: From courtyard houses and hutongs to skyscrapers and city highways - impressions of the Beijing path to modernity on uni-kassel.de
- Beijing hutongs and four-sided courtyards on chinaferien.com
Individual evidence
- ^ Siheyuan: Traditional Homes. (No longer available online.) In: www.excelbeijing.com. 2010, archived from the original on March 5, 2016 ; accessed on May 15, 2020 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ 3.2 Basics of solid construction - courtyard houses in Beijing - Beijing courtyard house type ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at fh-muenster.de (PDF, p. 66 ff.)
