What does Siheyuan mean?

Beijing courtyard house is an inner courtyard-style residence formed by houses on the east, west, south and north sides. As the main architectural form where old Beijingers have lived for generations, Beijing courtyard houses are famous both at home and abroad and are well known to the world. First of all, it has a very long history. Since the Yuan Dynasty when Beijing was formally established as the capital and the capital was planned and constructed on a large scale, courtyard houses have appeared at the same time as Beijing’s palaces, government offices, neighborhoods, alleys and alleys. According to "Analysis of Jin Zhi" written by Xiong Mengxiang in the late Yuan Dynasty: "The street system of most cities is called longitude from south to north, and latitude from east to west. The main street is twenty-four steps wide and there are 384 long lanes. Twenty-nine alleys lead to it.” Secondly, the composition of the courtyard is unique. Its courtyard is wide and spacious, and the houses on all four sides are independent and connected with each other by verandas, making living very convenient. The enclosed residences make the courtyard highly private, and you can see the heaven and earth when you close the door. In the courtyard, the doors on all four sides open to the courtyard. , the family is in harmony and happy; the spacious courtyard can also plant trees and flowers, feed birds and fish, and stack rocks and scenery, so that the residents can enjoy the beauty of nature. In addition, although the courtyard is a residential building, it contains profound cultural connotations and is the carrier of traditional Chinese culture. The construction of quadrangle courtyards pays great attention to Feng Shui. Feng Shui theory is actually ancient Chinese architectural environment science and an important part of traditional Chinese architectural theory. The decoration, carvings and paintings of quadrangle courtyards also reflect folk customs and traditional culture, showing people's respect for the courtyard. The pursuit of happiness, beauty, wealth and auspiciousness, such as the pattern composed of bat and longevity, which means "good fortune and longevity"; placed in a vase.