四合院简介.doc

四合院四合院作为中国传统民居，是一个建筑复合体，包括一个或多个院子及其四周的四组或更多组房屋。这种由灰砖灰瓦筑成的建筑，在中国许多地方都可以看到，它更是北京地区的典型建筑结构。它的建筑模式在历史上也被宫殿、寺庙和其他建筑广泛采用，而成为中国文化的一个符号。四合院作为中国最常见的民宅，在不同地方有不同的类型，其中以北京四合院最为著名。下面将详细描述一间北京四合院的典型布局。注释：图片摘自中国建筑（p. 134），安徽教育出版社2003年出版，图中标明各部分建筑的数字为笔者所加。四合院的大门（1）位于整个建筑体的东南角，因为按照风水来说，这个方向可感受到来自东南方舒适宜人的暖风，整个四合院都会受到它的庇佑。大门之内的影壁（2）是为保护房间的隐私而设计，经常在前面放上盆景和鱼缸。进入大门，过了影壁，就可以立即看到隐谧安静的秀美大院。整个大院有四种类型的小院，分别是：前院（3），里院（9）（或称为正院），跨院儿（11）和后院（13）。里院两边各有一个跨院儿，他们共同构成整个大院中最开阔的地方，人们可以在这里看到各种植物和果树。垂花门（4）由于其两边两根檐柱不落地，垂吊在屋檐下，上面饰有各种花朵图案，因此得名。此门将前院（3）（整个大院的外部）和里院（9）（大院的内部）分开。考虑到这道门的重要作用，其地位仅次于大门（1），因此也称为二门。回廊（6）将不同的房间连接到一起。下雨天，它们又作为带有屋顶的走道，居住者可以在此悠闲漫步。对于一些老人而言，回廊是判断一个院落是否是四合院的重要标志。四合院中的正房（或上房）（10）位于大院正北面，因此最为向阳，里面住着一家之主，即祖父母。正房通常有三间或更多房间。正房中最中间的一间叫做中堂或明间，空间最大，通常作为全家的客厅。正房两边的房间分别作为主人的卧室和书房。正房两侧是两个耳房（12），它们由于尺寸较小，屋顶较低，看起来就像正房上的一对耳朵，因此得名。大院的东侧和西侧是两排房间。西侧的是西厢房（8），是主人的长子和长媳的住所。而东厢房（7）比西厢房略低，里面住着主人的其他儿子和他们的配偶。大院南面的那排房间，朝北对着正房（10），因此他们被称为倒座房（5）。如果这家人足够富裕，可以雇得起私塾先生，则大门东侧的房间是私塾先生的住所。大门西侧的房间是来访客人的住所。倒座房剩下的房间则是客人和仆人的住所。在大院最后面的一排房间是后罩房（14），它们与倒座房（5）的房间数相同。这里是房主未出嫁的闺女和丫鬟们的住所。四合院的布局既反映出中国传统社会的父权特征，又反映出中国人的隐逸性格和平和心态。如果认识到这一点，也就不难理解清朝上至紫禁城的皇帝、下至北京各处的臣民，为什么都住在构造基本一致的宅子里了。Chinese Quadrangle (Siheyuan四合院)The Chinese quadrangle or Chinese courtyard house (Siheyuan 四合院) is a traditional type of Chinese residence consisting basically of one or more courtyards surrounded by four or more groups of chambers that are arranged on the four sides of a compound. Built of stark grey bricks and tiles, the Chinese quadrangle is found in many parts of the country and is a representative structure in Beijing. In fact, its building pattern was so commonly used in palaces, monasteries, as well as domestic and public buildings in Chinese history that it has been regarded as a Chinese cultural symbol.As a most familiar housing form in China, siheyuan, or the Chinese quadrangle, has various regional types, among which Beijing siheyuan is the most famous. The following illustration shows the typical layout of a Beijing Siheyuan.Note: Image taken from Chinese Architecture (p. 134) published by Anhui Education Press in 2003, with serial numbers for different parts of the compound stamped on for easy identification.The Entrance Gate (damen 大门) (1) or the main entrance to a siheyuan, is located in the southeastern corner of the compound which, according to FENGSHUI (风水, Chinese geomancy), is a favorable position blessed by the gentle and warm wind coming from the south and the east.The Screen Wall (yingbi 影壁) (2) inside the Entrance Gate is designed for consideration of privacy and is often decorated with pot plants and a bowl of goldfish. On entering the gate and walking past the screen wall, one may immediately sense the secluded tranquility and beauty of the compound.There are four groups of courtyards in the compound the Front Courtyard (qianyuan 前院) (3), the Central Courtyard (liyuan 里院) (9), the Side Courtyards (kuayuanr 跨院儿) (11) and the Back Courtyard (houyuan 后院) (13). The Central Courtyard, flanked by two Side Courtyards, provides the largest open space for the compound where one may find various kinds of plants and fruit trees.The Festoon Gate (chuihua men 垂花门) (4) is named so because the front overhang of its roof (including two suspended short wooden shafts on both sides) is richly decorated with flower patterns. This gate separates the Front Courtyard (3) (the outer part of the compound) from the Central Courtyard (9) (the inner part of the compound). In terms of the importance of the function it performs, the Festoon Gate is second only to the Entrance Gate (1); therefore it is also called “Gate Two” (ermen 二门).The Roofed Pathways (huilang回廊) (6) link different chambers of a siheyuan together. In rainy days they even double as covered walkways along which the residents can take a pleasant stroll. With some local old-timers, the presence of Roofed Pathways is a key criterion for judging if a quadrangle is genuinely a siheyuan.The Principal Chambers (zhengfang 正房or shangfang 上房) (10), which are located on the northern side of the compound, hence having the best exposure to sunlight, are inhabited by the owner or head of the family, that is, grandparents. There are usually three or more Principal Chambers. The central one, known as the “Central Hall” (zhongtang 中堂) or “Bright Chamber” (mingjian 明间), is most spacious and is normally used as the sitting room of the family. The other chambers on the two sides of the Central Hall serve as the bedrooms and study of the owners. The Principal Chambers are flanked by two wings which are known as the “Ear Chambers” (erfang 耳房) (12) because their smaller size and lower roofs give them the look of a pair of ears (on the Principal Chambers).On the eastern and western sides of the compound stand two rows of side chambers. The West Side Chambers (xixiang fang 西厢房) (8) are where the owners eldest son and his wife live. They are slightly higher than the East Side Chambers (dongxiang fang东厢房) (7) where the owners younger sons and their spouses live.The row of chambers on the southern side of the compound have a northern exposure, facing the Principal Chambers (10), so they are called the “Opposite Chambers” (daozuo fang 倒座房) (5). The chamber to the eastern end of the Entrance Gate is the residence of the private teacher (if the family is well-off enough to hire one) while the chamber to the western end is used to receive arriving guests. The remaining Opposite Chambers are accommodations for guests or male servants.Located farthest to the rear of the compound are a row of chambers known as the “Backside Chambers” (houzhao fang 后罩房) (14), which have the same number of rooms as the “Opposite Chambers” (5). These are where the owners unmarried daughters and female servants live.The composition of siheyuan mirrors, among other things, the reclusive character and peaceful mind of the Chinese people as well as the patriarchal nature of traditional Chinese society. If one realizes this, one will not find it difficult to understand why majestic Qing emperors in the Forbidden City and their humble subjects in different parts of old Beijing lived in dwellings with basically the same configuration.