Beijing Quadrangle Courtyard

By GUO ZHIDONG

THE quadrangle is recognized as a masterpiece of traditional Chinese dwellings. From the bricks to the tiles， and beams to the pillars， this type of residence offers a template of Chinese aesthetics. Exhibiting the profound and longstanding Chinese culture， the courtyards are valuable architectural and cultural heritages for China and even the rest of the world.

Siheyuan has a time-honored history. With the central line as the axis， the yard is usually surrounded by buildings on all four sides. The courtyard in Beijing also serves as one of the representatives of traditional culture and folk customs.

In 1272， Kublai Khan， founding emperor of the Yuan Dynasty （1271-1368）， moved the capital to Beijing and granted land to wealthy merchants and high officials. This started the building of courtyard residences on a large scale in Beijing. Hutong and siheyuan were the main architectural features in Beijing during the dynasty.

From the outside， the quadrangle is a type of secluded dwelling. It faces south， with the entrance gate at the southeastern corner. The entire building is enclosed by tall walls. In terms of the scale， a small siheyuan has only one single courtyard， while a large compound has two or more layers of courtyards， depending on the wealth and social status of the household.

In a typical siheyuan with three layers of courtyards， what greets you first is the screen wall for privacy usually constructed from brick. Some wealthy households or those with higher social status built the screen wall outside the entrance gate. The building that faces north on the southernmost side is known as the opposite house， which is separated from the main part of the dwelling by a wall. The yard enclosed by the opposite house and the partitioning wall is known as the outer courtyard. A festoon gate is built in the center of the partition wall， inside which is the residence of the family.

Inside is the second layer of courtyard， which is enclosed by side houses， the main house， and the corridors that connect them. The main house is positioned in the north， and the side houses adjoin it on the eastern and western sides. On each end of the main house， sometimes are two small houses like ears on a head. These houses enclose the central yard. The third layer of the courtyard is surrounded by the main house and the rear building behind it. The quadrangle is spacious and well-arranged. Houses on the four sides are independent while being connected with pathways， maintaining architectural aesthetics， and facilitating the residents.

The structure in the north， which receives the most sunlight and allows in more fresh air， is reserved for the eldest member of the family. The eldest son resides in the eastern side house， the younger son in the western side house， and the servants in the opposite house. The rear house usually serves as the dwellings for unmarried daughters. The arrangement also embodies traditional Chinese concepts about seniority and different roles of men and women in a family.

A typical Beijing quadrangle is constructed from brick and timber with elaborate designs. The indigo bricks， grey tiles， vermilion-painted gate， and the overall hue create an ambience of serenity and elegance， the essence of traditional Chinese aesthetics. From gables to eaves， pillars to panes， the structure is ingeniously designed and decorated， exhibiting the antique appeal of the entire building.

Many minor parts， such as the eave edge， roof ridge， stone gate pier， wooden window and door， and floor tile， are all beautifully decorated with patterns symbolizing wealth and auspiciousness. They are either carved or painted with the images of wildlife， characters， or figures. For example， peony is the token of wealth and rank， and bat denotes blessing due to its pronunciation in Chinese. This is a way for the architect and owner to express their aspiration， ethos， and best wishes for happiness， prosperity， and longevity.

As a type of residence， a Beijing quadrangle takes into account both the utility and aesthetics in its design and construction. It also denotes cultural profundity. The concepts of the five elements and the eight diagrams of divination are embodied in the building. Chinese people believe geomancy， or fengshui in Chinese， has significance for their fortune and health. Therefore， the building of the courtyard， from location to position， and the size of each house， follows the principles of fengshui theories.

For example， the entrance gate usually faces the southeast. In north China， a residence is positioned on the north side as it is believed to belong to “water，” an element to prevent fire， according to the Five Elements theory. With the windows and door facing the south， the north houses receive the most sunlight. Comparatively， the gate is on the south side， but not the center. Only the imperial palaces or monasteries can have the gate in the center. The Southeast corner is regarded as the “wind” corner that facilitates ventilation. Building the entrance gate in the southeast corner also helps protect privacy， and leaves a spacious yard where the family can plant flowers， raise pets， and enjoy a serene life inside.