What are the characteristics of caves?

Northern Shaanxi is characterized by thick soil layer and low groundwater level in the Loess Plateau, and digging caves as dwellings has the advantages of being warm in winter and cool in summer.

The cave architecture in northern Shaanxi should have started from the Zhou Dynasty at the earliest, and it is a semi-crypt type. After the Qin and Han dynasties, it developed into a whole crypt type. In the mid-Ming dynasty, stone was used as kiln wall. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, local people built caves in imitation of the earth kiln model; It is also useful to add colored tiles to the kiln surface, divide the hall and room, and sink up and down.

The caves in northern Shaanxi are arched caves excavated according to the mountain situation. Because loess itself has the property of standing upright, the bearing capacity of vault is better than that of flat roof, and vault is generally used in caves to ensure its stability.

Cave in northern Shaanxi