Kang is not only the heating method and cultural memory of northeastern people, but also once became synonymous with various behaviors. Women's bad style is said to be "selling big kang"; men's bad style is said to be "kang of people's homes"; when things are messed up, they are said to be "walking at home, bare sticks on kang". It can be said that for a place known for its long and cold winter, the fire kang is a miracle of ingenuity.
And as a colder place than the northeast, the Russians' kang is unique in that it has a variety of uses, and its purpose is to maximize the use of heat and fuel in every possible way. The Russian ondol, called petch, which means furnace, appeared around the 15th century and was basically a house within a house.
Pets sleep in a compartment in the back, and people live on it. Back in the 20th century, Russian and Ukrainian farmers usually slept on benches in the main living room, with a sleeping compartment at the top that comfortably accommodates at least 2 adults and several children. Due to its warmth, it is preferentially used for sick family members, pregnant women, lactating women and small children.
The structure of the house-in-house is determined by economic strength, and the top petch has 2 ovens and a stove room so that the food and dishes in the main oven space do not turn black. There are also insulated compartments for keeping warm water, stews, soups, etc.; steam rooms for making puddings and other foods; and a larger compartment for sauna or bathtubs.
In addition to the floor facilities, the space under the floor is also effectively utilized, and the cured meat and sausages are placed in it, and after a while you can enjoy delicious smoked sausages and bacon.
