What are the techniques of building Jiangnan houses?

Jiangnan dwellings are often combined with gardens, all houses must have gardens, is a mode of life and residence mode of Chinese culture. Jiangnan residential architecture is characterized by black tiles, white walls, masonry and wooden structures, and dry-rail architecture. Jiangnan water town houses are mostly built along the river, so there are dry streets and water streets. The bridge on the water street is the link between the two sides of the dry street, and the various types of bridges are also the unique landscape of the water street. The Riding House is a common pattern of traditional residential buildings in the south of the Yangtze River. It is along the river along the street, along the river between the columns of the corridor with railings can rely on the bench, forming - a shelter for households and passers-by, resting in the shade, interpersonal communication of the water corridor. Cross-street building in the Jiangnan township common, borrowing space does not hinder the traffic, connected to the street on both sides of the building into one. Jiangnan water town residents backwater street, generally downstairs in front of the street for the front, facing the water for the back, in front of the store downstairs, upstairs for housing. Residents of the left and right adjacent to the wind and fire wall separation, leaving an appropriate distance for access to the river traffic. Residents living near the water courtyard type houses are mostly, the high walls of the courtyard behind the gate has a patio, building, the courtyard generally have two groups, three groups, there are halls, compartments, through the hall, patio, backyard and so on. The buildings are richly decorated and the materials are mainly wood, brick and stone. There are flower windows, partitions, carved beams and brick carvings. Doorways are mainly brick carvings, partitions are mainly wooden structures, windows and flowers have wooden structures, but also brick tiles, brick carving structures and so on.

Overall Summary

The general layout of the Jiangnan houses is roughly the same as that of the courtyard in the north, except that the layout is generally compact, and the courtyard occupies a smaller area, in order to adapt to the characteristics of the local population density is high, and the requirement of occupying less farmland. The main door of the residence is mostly open on the central axis, facing the main room for the hall, the back of the courtyard is often built two-story building. The small courtyard surrounded by the courtyard houses is commonly known as the patio, which is only used for lighting and drainage. Because the rainwater from the inner slope of the roof flows into the patio from all sides, this residential layout is commonly known as "four water to the hall".

Architecture

The individual buildings of the Sishui Gaitang-style houses are based on the traditional "room" as the basic unit, with an odd number of rooms, usually three or five. The width of each room is 3~4 meters, the depth is five to nine Rin, and each Rin is 1~1.5 meters. Each single building is connected to the corridor, and the courtyard wall together, enclosing a closed courtyard. However, in order to facilitate ventilation, more leakage windows are opened on the courtyard wall, and the houses also have front and rear windows. This kind of adapt to the terrain, make full use of space, flexible layout, beautiful body shape, rational use of materials, residential, showing a fresh and lively outlook.

Jiangnan residential structure is mostly through the bucket type wooden frame, without beams, and columns directly bearing Rin, the periphery of the thin wall of the empty bucket or woven bamboo plaster wall, walls more whitewashed. Roof structure is also thinner than the northern homes. The bottom of the wall is often built with slate, and the indoor floor is also paved with slate to prevent moisture. The interior of the halls are freely separated by traditional covers, fans and screen doors, depending on the purpose of use. The beams and frames are decorated with only a few delicate carvings and painted in chestnut, brown, and gray without colorful paintings. The wooden structure of the exterior of the house is painted in brown, black, dark green, etc., which is contrasted with the white walls and grey tiles, and the tone is elegantly clear and clean, combining with the surrounding natural environment to form a picturesque water townscape.