What does Beijing Siheyuan symbolize?

Buildings and patterns embody China's traditional hierarchical thought and the theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements.

In modern times, with the change of family structure and social concept, the livability of traditional quadrangles has been challenged. In the process of urban planning, traditional quadrangles are also facing the contradiction between protection and development. Some quadrangles were listed as cultural relics protection units, while others were demolished.

Beijing quadrangle

Beijing quadrangle is an inner quadrangle surrounded by houses in the east, west, south and north. Beijing quadrangles, as the main architectural form that old Beijingers have lived in for generations, are well-known at home and abroad and all over the world.

The gate of quadrangles is usually opened in the southeast corner or northwest corner. The north house in the yard is the first one, which is built on the masonry abutment, bigger than other houses, and it is the owner's living room. There are east and west wing rooms on both sides of the yard, where the younger generation live. There is a corridor between the main room and the wing room for people to walk and rest. The walls of quadrangles and houses facing the street generally do not open windows, and the environment in the courtyard is closed and quiet.

There are large and small quadrangles in Beijing, but no matter how big or small, they are all made up of quadrangles surrounded by houses on all sides. The simplest quadrangle has only one yard, while the more complicated one has two or three yards. The deep house compound where rich people live is usually composed of several quadrangles side by side. There is also a partition wall in the middle.

The typical characteristics of quadrangles are regular appearance, symmetrical midline and extremely flexible usage. They expand to large ones, that is, palaces and palaces, and shrink to small ones, that is, houses of ordinary people. The splendid Forbidden City and ordinary farmers' homes in the suburbs are quadrangles.