In the hearts of Chinese, home is often closely linked to the court. From ancient times to the present, Chinese have always had a deep affection for the yard.
For Chinese, architecture is not just a place to shelter from the wind and rain and meet daily living, it also needs to meet people's spiritual needs in terms of psychology and aesthetics. The yard is not only a living space, but also a habitat for the soul.
In the depths of many people's memories, there is a courtyard. For the children in the yard, life may not be rich, there are no electronic gadgets and expensive toys, but there are fish swimming in the water and birds chirping in the branches.
It can be a private yard for adults to take care of the flowers and plants. Here, life no longer revolves around televisions, computers and other electrical appliances, but is filled with garden work, fish and bird feeding, home-cooked scenes in the neighborhood, or families getting together to take cool melons and fruits from the well to cool off.
It could also be a small farm yard where grandma tells stories in the moonlight. When night falls, sleek bamboo chairs, bamboo beds and bamboo mats bring a pleasant coolness. In this courtyard, we deeply feel the strong family affection and enjoy the simple and pure happy time. Tasting the grass and trees in the yard, drinking tea and playing chess, the years slowly flowed.
Wang Zengqi once said that the ideal home is a single house. Most of the ancient Chinese architectural groups are presented in the form of courtyards such as courtyard houses, ranging from ordinary houses to the imperial Forbidden City. Chinese culture advocates the "unity of man and nature", and the courtyard is a vivid embodiment of this concept in architecture.
In the courtyard of the deep house of a large family, mountains and stones are piled up, water management is managed in the courtyard, trees and flowers are planted, and private gardens are achieved. Whether it is a house, a landscape, a flower or a verandah, they all interpret the simple concept of the unity of nature and man in a unique way. Even if the yard is small, small families will plant a few green bamboos or plantains, fully demonstrating the integration with nature. Green bricks and tiles, banana bamboo swaying, such a small courtyard life, is the yearning of every Chinese's heart.
Many classical poems delicately depict the life of the courtyard, recording the Chinese's love for the courtyard. Reading and drinking tea in a rocking chair, strolling in the moonlight, working at sunrise and resting at sunset, living a simple and elegant life.
Every Chinese longs to have their own spiritual garden, which is the most secret, relaxed and comfortable ideal place in the heart. The phrase "no one goes out of the house, no blame" in "Zhou Yi" reflects the courtyard-style life form in China during the Western Zhou Dynasty, reflecting the feelings of escapism and seclusion.
A small courtyard where you can read, cook tea, meet friends, or do nothing and just be in a daze. There are trees planted by the children in the yard when they come, and I watch the children grow with the trees. You can raise flowers and plants, plant melons and fruits, and feel the cycle of the four seasons. There is an open space where you can do tai chi, make a cup of strong tea, and enjoy the time. Although the yard is in the middle of the city, it can isolate the hustle and bustle and leave the taste of simple life.
To this day, people are still nostalgic for courtyard living. In the courtyard, with the sun and the moon, with the breeze as friends, meet the most authentic self, away from the chaos of the world. When Chinese build yards, they pursue not only physical comfort, but also spiritual tranquility.
May there be a courtyard in your heart, take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, and enjoy the joy of the world.