The Beauty of Quadrangle Courtyard (Si He Yuan)
Si He Yuan is an indigenous architectural form in China. It has a big quadrangle courtyard in the center, buildings on all sides, verandas connecting all rooms, and a big screen in the front of the gate. In a typical Si He Yuan, the courtyard is often decorated with all kinds of flowers, plants, ponds, and artificial hills. However, before we could actually feel the beauty of such a building, Si He Yuan is gradually fading into history and replaced by the skyscraper. Let's appreciate its beauty while we still can. Si He Yuan History of Quadrangle Courtyard Quadrangle Courtyard has a long history that can be dated back to 3000 years ago. The first courtyard is the Shang dynasty palace. However, a historic site in Xishan county, Shaanxi, reveals the oldest and most rigorous quadrangle courtyard in China appeared in the early Western Zhou Dynasty. It’s a two-layer Si He Yuan with two yards and screens, a gate, a front hall, and a backroom lined on the central axis. By the Han dynasty...