Fantastic Chinese Architecture

This book not only describes the origin and development of architecture in Chinese history in terms of time， but also shows unique traditional dwellings in different places in the vast land of China from the perspective of space. The book is also accompanied by interesting animations related to architecture to enhance children’s interest in reading and help them understand rich and interesting architectural knowledge. The English version of the series has been exported to the United States， Canada， the United Kingdom， Sweden， and other countries.

Li Chaodong

Li Chaodong graduated from the Department of History of East China Normal University. He has been deeply involved in education and publishing and has successively won the honorary titles of “National Press and Publication Leading Talent” and “China Publishing Person of the Year”. He has served as the vice chairman of the Fifth Council of the China Book Publishing Industry Association， the vice chairman of the Anhui Publishing Association， and the vice chairman of the Jiangsu Publishing Association.

Beijing Siheyuan Courtyard

In the Yuan Dynasty， the siheyuan courtyard came into existence. Slowly， it became a unique form of architecture in Beijing. The gates and windows on the south side of the siheyuan courtyard are open， but the north side is closed. This way， it is easier for the courtyard to resist wind， take in sunlight， and improve air circulation in winter and summer.

Unlike other siheyuan courtyards， the gates of the Beijing courtyards are in the southeast corner. In bagua， the eight-diagram system， the southeast direction (xun) stands for the wind. It means the gate opens to a “smooth wind” that brings good luck.

In the past， peaceful life in the siheyuan courtyards of old Beijing was often depicted by images of the following things: canopies， fish tanks， pomegranate trees， masters， fat dogs， and chubby lasses.

Jinzhong Style Narrow Courtyard

The Jinzhong region in Shanxi Province has broad land， rich soil， and a dense population. People built narrow and compact houses because the living space was limited. The Qiao family’s Grand Courtyard in Qi county is the most famous residence of this architectural style.

The Qiao’s Grand Courtyard looks like a castle with several brick walls around it. It is separate from other houses. Some corridors connect the houses on the roofs， and there are watchtowers for announcing the time and nighttime patrols.

The Qiao’s Grand Courtyard is symmetrical and in the shape of the character 囍 xi， which means double happiness. It shows the family’s good wishes for life.