Diaojiaolou with distinctive residential characteristics

Diaojiaolou, also known as Diaolou, is a traditional residence of Miao, Zhuang, Buyi, Dong, Shui and Tujia people. There are also many Diaojiaolou in western Hunan, western Hubei and Guizhou. Diaojiaolou is built on the mountain and looks like a tiger. The best house is "left green dragon, right white tiger, before Suzaku and after Xuanwu", and later it faces, either sitting west to east or sitting east to west.

Diaojiaolou is a dry fence-style building, but it is different from the general dry fence. Stilts are suspended, so the stilt building is called semi-stilt building.

In the past, diaojiao building was usually covered with thatch or fir bark, but it was also covered with slate. Now the diaojiao buildings in western Hubei are mostly covered with mud tiles. The construction of diaojiao building is an important event in Tujia people's life. The first step is to prepare wood. Tujia people call it "cutting green hills", and generally choose Toona sinensis or purple trees. Toona sinensis and purple tree are auspicious because of homophonic "spring" and "zi", which means that spring is always big and future generations are prosperous; The second step is to process the material of large beams and columns, which is called "frame size", and draw bagua, Taiji and lotus seeds on the beams; The third process is called "fan arrangement", that is, the processed beams and columns are connected with tenons and arranged into wooden fans; The fourth step is "building a strong column". The host chose the ecliptic as an auspicious day and asked all the neighbors to help him. Before releasing the beam, he will make a sacrifice to the beam. Then everyone Qi Xin worked together to erect rows of wooden fans. At this time, firecrackers will explode and neighbors will send gifts to congratulate him. After the vertical house is reinforced, nail the rafters, cover the tiles and install the board wall. Wealthy families have to decorate eaves on roofs, carve dragons and draw phoenixes under corridors, and decorate balcony railings. The most basic feature is that the main house is built on the ground, and the wing is supported by pillars on three sides except one side leaning on the ground, which is connected with the main house. Diaojiaolou has many advantages. Hanging on the ground is ventilated and dry, which can prevent poisonous snakes and wild animals, and sundries can be placed under the floor. Diaolou also has distinctive national characteristics. Elegant "silk eaves" and wide "walking columns" make the diaojiao building unique. Compared with "Gan Lan", this diaojiao building successfully got rid of the primitive and has a higher cultural level, so it is called the "living fossil" of Bachu culture.

People still plant flowers and various fruit trees in front of the house, but it is unlucky not to plant mulberry before and peach after, because it is homophonic with "mourning" and "fleeing"