Courtyard Houses of Beijing
» Beijing, He Bei

四合院 老北京的市井生活

North China's courtyard houses (Siheyuan) are outstanding representatives of traditional residences of China's Han people. Courtyard houses of Beijing, at the highest level and most typical specimen of its kind, boast a long history. According historical discovery analyses, the traditional architecture appeared more than 2,000 years ago.

The gate of courtyard houses

The gate of courtyard houses is usually at the southeastern corner according to the traditional concepts of the five elements that were believed to compose the universe, and the eight diagrams of divination. Normally there is a screen-wall inside the gate so that outsiders cannot see directly into the courtyard and it is also believed to protect the houses from evil spirits. Outside the gate of some large courtyard houses, there is a pair of stone lions on each side. Such a residence offers space, comfort and quiet privacy. It is also good for security as well as protection against dust and storms. The gates are usually painted vermilion and have large copper door rings.

The layout of courtyard houses

Usually a whole family lives in compound. The residence is situated in the north of the compound and faces south, mostly consisting of inner and outer yards.

The outer yard

The outer yard is horizontal and long with a main gate that opens to the southeast corner, maintaining the privacy of the residence. Through the main gate to the west in the outer yard are guest rooms, servants' room, a kitchen and toilet. North of the outer yard, through an exquisitely shaped, floral-pendant gate, is the spacious square main yard.

  • The principal room
    The principal room in the north is the largest, erected with tablets of "heaven, earth, the monarch, kinsfolk and teacher," and intended for family ceremonies and receiving distinguished guests.
  • Rooms for family elsers
    The left and right sides of the principal room are linked to aisles that were inhabited by family elders. In front of the aisle is a small, quiet corner yard often used as a study.
  • Rooms for younger generations
    Both sides of the main yard have a wing room that served as a living room for younger generations. Both the principal room and wing rooms face the yards, which have front porches.
  • Verandahs
    Verandahs link the floral-pendant gate and the three houses, where one can walk or sit to enjoy the flowers and trees in the courtyard.
  • "Hou Zhao Fang"
    Sometimes, behind the principal room, there is a long row of "Hou Zhao Fang" (back-illuminated rooms) that served as either a living room or utility room.

The courtyard

Beijing's Siheyuan is cordial and quiet, with a strong flavor of life. The courtyard is square, vast and of a suitable size. It contains flowers and is set up with rocks, providing an ideal space for outdoor life. Such elements make the courtyard seem like an open-air, large living room, drawing heaven and earth closer to people's hearts; this is why the courtyard was most favored by them.

The verandah divides the courtyard into several big and small spaces that are not very distant from each other. These spaces penetrate one another, setting off the void and the solids, and the contrast of shadows. The divisions also make the courtyard more suited to the standards of daily life. Family members exchanged their views here, which created a cordial temperament and an interesting atmosphere.

A typical expression of the character of Chinese residences

In fact, the centripetal and cohesive atmosphere of Beijing's courtyard houses, with its strict rules and forms, is a typical expression of the character of most Chinese residences. The courtyard's pattern of being closed to the outside and open to the inside can be regarded as a wise integration of two kinds of contradictory psychologies: On one hand the self-sufficient feudal families needed to maintain a certain separation from the outside world; on the other, the psychology, deeply rooted in the mode of agricultural production, makes the Chinese particularly keen on getting closer to nature. They often want to see the heaven, earth, flowers, grass and trees in their own homes.

Advantages of courtyard houses

The courtyard houses are a typical form of ancient Chinese architecture, especially in the north of China. They are designed to make it as comfortable as possible to live in when the climate is inhospitable. For instance, the courtyard houses are enclosed and inward facing to protect them from the harsh winter winds and the dust storms of spring. Certain appropriately sized square courtyards help absorb sunshine in the wintertime. In areas south of Beijing, where the setting sun in the summer is quite strong, the courtyards have become narrow and long on the north-south side to reduce the amount of sunshine.

The unparalleled advantages of courtyard houses ensured its existence for many years throughout history. This creation left behind by ancient working people is a precious historical treasure.

Cultural connotation

The design of courtyard houses reflects the traditions of China, following the rules of fengshui and the patriarchal, Confucian tenants of order and hierarchy that were so important to society.

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  Weather

  1. Is Beijing's weather fine all year round?
  2. Which is the best season to visit Beijing?

  Transportation

  1. Do taxes cost high in Beijing? Are taxi drivers friendly?
  2. Can I take subway in Beijing? Is it fast and easy to find?

  Food

  1. How much do you konw about Beijing cuisine? and local food?
  2. What taste is a must in Beijing? Why is Peking Duck so popular in Beijing?
  3. What should we pay attention to when having lunch or dinner in Beijing?

  Shopping

  1. Can I use my credit card when shopping in Beijing?
  2. What souvenirs can we buy in Beijing?

  Travel

  1. Are toliet facilities clean in Beijing?
  2. Where should I go if I love Beijing's nightlife?
  3. Do you want to visit Tai Chi and Kung Fu performance in Beijing?

  Customs

  1. Are you interested in chinese Facial Makeup?
  2. Have you ever heard of "Chineses tea culture"? Do you want to learn drinking custom?
  3. Why are "Hutong" so welcomed? May I take it as an symbol of Beijing?
  4. Are you familiar with courtyard house (siheyuan)? Where can I visit it in Beijing?
  5. What festivals do peking friends celebrate? How do they celebrate Spring Festival?
  6. How much do you know about Beijing opera?

  Other Hints

  1. What to pack for Beijing tours?
  2. What is emergency number in Beijing?
  3. What is Beijing time?
  4. What do I need to prepare if I want to visit Beijing attractions?

  • Is Beijing's weather fine all year round?

    No, The climate in Beijing is of the continental type, with cold and dry winters, due to the Siberian air massses that move southward across the Mongolian Plateau. The summers are hot owing to warm and humid monsoon winds from the southeast bringing Beijing most of its annual precipitation. January is the coldest month and July is the warmest. Winter usually begins towards the end of October. The summer months, June to August, are wet and hot with about 40% of the annual precipitation.


  • Which is the best season to visit Beijing?

    The autumn months between September and November have the best weather and fewer tourists. Summer (June to August) is considered peak season, when hotels typically raise their rates and the Great Wall nearly collapses under the weight of marching tourists. Spring is less pleasant not many tourists but lots of wind and dust. In winter, you'll have Beijing to yourself and many hotels offer substantial discounts, just remember it's an ice box outside. Everything is chock block during the Chinese New Year (usually in January or February).


  • Do taxes cost high in Beijing? Are taxi drivers friendly in Beijing?

    No, the cost is not expensive, around 1.6 yuan per kilometer. During the olym pic games is held in 2008, some tax's drivers are interested in learning English. They are so kind and friend that some may chat to you in English.


  • Can I take subway in Beijing? Is it fast and easy to find?

    Yes, the subway system in Beijing was rebuilt during 2008, until now it opened subway line 1, subway line 2, subway line 5, subway line 13, and line eight-passageway, covering the whole city and the airport. Morover, subway line 10 is plan to open during olym pic games period, which favor special for olym pic village. You may get to subway station easily in avenue. The subway is a great way to beat the growing Beijing traffic chaos.


  • How much do you konw about Beijing cuisine? and local food?

    Just like the capital's culture, Beijing cuisine has absorbed and been influenced by many of the flavours of China's regions. Chinese cuisine in general has the four distinct regional cooking styles of Sichuan (Chuan) to the West, Canton (Cantonese) to the South, Shangdong (Lu) to the East and Jiangsu (Huaiyang) to the North and the cuisine of Beijing brings together these contrasting styles. In Beijing you can find menus from around the world including Spanish, French and Italian restaurants that are well-established, and Japanese, Indian and Thai outlets, that are also very popular with local Beijingers.

    You can have steamed bread with bean filling, flour pancakes cooked with egg, coriander, chilli, and black onion seeds, pancakes stuffed with pork, egg and vegetables. These gems are available from little glass cabinettes on the back of three-wheeled bicycles or from stands on street corners, hidden down leafy hutongs.


  • What taste is a must in Beijing? Why is Peking Duck so popular in Beijing?

    Peking Duck, a delicious, lightly-smoked, rich meal complimented by pancakes, dipping sauce, vegetable filling and irresistible slivers of juicy meat, fat and crispy skin. As the favourit food in local Beijing, Peking duck is world famous nowadays.

    Peking duck has been prepared since the Yuan Dynasty, and is now considered one of China's national foods. Duck has been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Peking Duck was first prepared for the Emperor of China in the Yuan Dynasty. The dish, originally named "Shaoyazi". In the Ming Dynasty, the Peking Duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus. By the Qianlong Period (1736-1796) of the Qing Dynasty, the popularity of the Peking Duck spread to the upper classes, inspiring poetry from poets and scholars who enjoyed the dish.

    Today, the Peking Duck had become a national symbol of China, favoured by tourists and diplomats alike. For example, Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State of the United States met Premier Zhou Enlai in the Great Hall of the People on July 10, during his first visit to China. After a round of inconclusive talks in the morning, the delegation was served Peking Duck for lunch, which became Kissinger's favourite. The Americans and Chinese issued a joint statement the following day, inviting President Richard Nixon to visit China in 1972. The Peking Duck was hence considered one of the factors behind the rapproachement of the United States to China in the 1970's. Following Zhou's death in 1976, Kissinger paid another visit to Beijing to savour Peking Duck.


  • What should we pay attention to when having lunch or dinner in Beijing?

    • Restaurants in Beijing usually do not require tips or a service charge. Some expensive restaurants will charge 15% service.
    • Opening times usually 11am-2pm and 5pm-10pm
    • Menus written in Chinese, so be warned: bring a friendly translator
    • Do not worry about getting the chopsticks right first time: practice not perfection
    • Do observe some of the taboos associated with eating in Chin.a


  • Can I use my credit card when shopping in Beijing?

    Yes, paying credit card is available in most shopping centre, Beijing. Just like Wangfujing walking street. however, It is easy to find the ATM bank in some downtown districts, and it will not be a problem if you want working staff help you handle routine banking bussiness. The money used in Beijing is the Chinese RenMinBi, or RMB for short. The Chinese call it Yuan or Kuai in Beijing. There are approximately 8 RMB to the US dollar. Most star hotels offer a good service for exchanging your cash into RMB. Anyway, you may not worry about it.


  • What souvenirs can we buy in Beijing?

    Fancywork, mintmark, fogle, tablecloth designed in dragon and phenix, herbal medicine, etc.

  • Are toliet facilities clean in Beijing?

    Most toliets are repaired two years ago. Most are some squat toilets to Western ones, as your body won't have to come into contact with anything in there that might be dirty. No need to sit on dirty toilet seats.


  • Where should I go if I love Beijing's nightlife?

    Yuandadu Street is developed on Yuandadu Relics and also belongs to an up-and-coming youngster. Distinctive feature theme is its enchantment. Madami Mosuo flavor bar, gliding umbrella theme bar, Tibet breeding dog bar. There are more than 20 bars here. It is relatively quiet because of lower recognition.

    Hou hai bar area (lotus lane) seems to be taking over from Sanlitun as the major bar area of Beijing. It is situated around a man-made lake at the north of Beihai Park. Boating is available on the lake till 11pm or 12am (in the summer of course). Very pretty area.

  • Do you want to visit Tai Chi and Kung Fu performance in Beijing?

    Tai Chi quan(shadow boxing) is a famous Chinese Kung Fu. All the Chinese Kung Fu can be divided into two kinds, the "In - style" and the "Out - style". Tai Chi is the representative kind of the "In-style". This kind of Kung Fu emphasizes on the stuffs inside the fighter's body, which include the calmness of the spirit, the sensitivity of the sense and the speed of the reaction. In contrast, the out - style Kung Fu is to fight before your opponent's move or try to destroy your opponent's attack.

    We will arrange you a nice Tai Chi lesson and Kung Fu performance if you like.


  • Are you interested in chinese Facial Makeup?

    The Chinese Facial Makeup art was developed from the mask painting art which was initiated by Lang-Ling Hwang in the Pei-Gee dynasty and by Wu-Hsiang Dee in the Song dynasty. The painted masks were originally used in the fields of battle to make dreadful figures to frighten the enemy. Later on the masks were employed in the stage to show.

    Social standing and disposition of characters. Owing to difficulty and inconvenience of manufacturing and wearing masks, the colors were directly painted on the faces, afterwards. Generally speaking, the face without painting represents faithful and nice fellows, the multi-colored face represents wicked people, the red face represents loyal and straight characters, the black face represent bravery and preseverance. The buffoons are painted with coloured spots. Up to now, there are many types of face-painting.


  • Have you ever heard of "Chineses tea culture"? Do you want to learn drinking custom?

    Chinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. Tea culture in China differs from that of Europe, Britain or Japan in such things as preparation methods, tasting methods and the occasions for which it is consumed. Even now, in both casual and formal Chinese occasions, tea is consumed regularly. In addition to being a drink, Chinese tea is used in traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese cuisine.

    There are several special circumstances in which tea is prepared and consumed:

    As a sign of respect
    For a family gathering
    To apologize
    To express thanks to your elders on one's wedding day
    To connect large families on wedding days
    To pass on the tradition


  • Why are "Hutong" so welcomed? May I take it as an symbol of Beijing?

    Hutong is a typical lane or small street in Beijing that originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). "Hutong" is a Mongolian word, meaning "water well". During that time, water well is the settlement around which people lived. There are tens of thousands of hutongs surrounding the Forbidden City. In the past, Beijing was composed of countless courtyards. Hutongs were formed when people left a passageway between two courtyards to make entering them more convenient.

    As the symbol of Beijing City, a hutong has its own layout and structure, which makes it a wonder in the world. When taking a bird's eye view of Beijing, you will find the combination of hutongs and courtyards just like an orderly chessboard with delicate gardens, fine rockeries, and ancient ruins. Hutongs have witnessed the development of Beijing. Where there is a hutong, there is a story.


  • Are you familiar with courtyard house(siheyuan)? Where can I visit it in Beijing?

    Traditionally most urban Chinese used to live in quadrangles called siheyuan or "four-side enclosed courtyards." These courts, as the name implies, are formed by inward-facing houses on four sides, closed in by enclosure walls. Such a residence offers space, comfort and quiet privacy. It is also good for security as well as protection against dust and storms. Grown with plants and flowers, the court is also a sort of garden.

    In feudal times, the courtyard dwellings were built according to the traditional concepts of the five elements that were believed to compose the universe, and the eight diagrams of divination. The gate was made at the southeast corner which was the "wind" corner, and house was made to face the south with the main building on the north side which was believed to belong to "water" - an element to prevent fire.

    Today, Beijing still has about 400,000 residential quadrangles, mainly distributed over the East, West, Xuanwu and Chongwen districts of the city. Those in the East and West districts are in the best shape.


  • What festivals do peking friends celebrate? How do they celebrate Spring festival?

    Spring festival, Lantern festival, Qingming festival, Dragon boat festival, Double seven festival, Mid-autum festival, Double ninth festival, Winter solstice festival. These festivals are celebrated by Peking friends.

    The Spring Festival, which falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. It originated in the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C. - 1100 B.C.) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. It is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people living away from home go back, becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival.

    On spring festival, people decorate their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.


  • How much do you know about Beijing opera?

    Beijing opera is deemed the national opera of China. The accompanying music, singing and costumes are all fascinating and artistic. Full of Chinese cultural facts, the opera presents to the audience an encyclopedia of Chinese culture as well as unfolding stories, beautiful paintings, exquisite costumes, graceful gestures and acrobatic fighting. It is generally accepted that Beijing opera gradually came into being after 1790 when the famous four Anhui opera troupes came to Beijing. Beijing opera underwent fast development during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi under the imperial patron, and eventually became more accessible to the people.


  • What to pack for Beijing tours?

    Besides the medicines you usually take at home, you need to bring pain killers, anti-
    inflammatory prescriptions and medicines for colds, fever and diarrhea. These medicines are
    especially helpful if you are going to visit Beijing.

    You' better take apropriate cloth in season. In autumn, jeans and a sweater are usually enough. In the warmer months, T-shirts and light pants or shorts are the best bet. In the colder months, it is wise to dress in layers: long underwear and jeans, shirt, sweater and down jacket. If you want to go local, you can buy a thick cotton army coat (jun da yi) for less than 100 yuan (12 bucks). Rain gear is necessary, especially during the summer months.


  • What is emergency number in Beijing?

    Fire: 119
    Traffic: 122
    Ambulance: 120
    Police: 110


  • What is Beijing time?

    Beijing is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (London) and 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (New York), is the standard time used in China.


  • What do I need to prepare if I want to visit Beijing attractions?

    Some attractions need to pay cash, like Tian'an men square, summer palace, and other activities in hutongs. so it is much adivsible to take enough RMB when tour in local residents. A handerchief should be prepared for your Great wall explor. In addition, you'd better take storage battery with camera, because it costs expensive in some senenic spots.


Courtyard houses of Beijing, at the highest level and most typical specimen of its kind, boast a long history of more than 2,000 years. They are cordial and quiet, with a strong flavor of life. The design reflects the traditions of China, following the rules of fengshui and the patriarchal, Confucian tenants of order and hierarchy.

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