All those who have visited China and participated in various excursions in this country, are unlikely to be able to give a definite answer to the simple question of what Chinese houses are called. The reason is that in the Middle Kingdom, as in a multinational state, there are various types of structures. They are created in accordance with the building traditions of one or another people living in China. Each of these types is called in a special way. This mainly depends on the material from which these dwellings are built, or on the terrain on which they are located. For example, some house names translate as “clay”, “wooden”, “bamboo”, “stone carved”, “earthen”, etc.
What are the names of Chinese homes?
1. “Beijing Courtyard”. This home is the most popular type of Chinese home. It consists of several united buildings that form a rectangle. The facade of each of them looks into the courtyard. The Beijing courtyard is designed to accommodate several generations of the same kind. Most often it consists of four structures. This residential complex in Chinese is pronounced as "Shiheyuan", that is, a Chinese house. The name of each of the four rooms is unknown. In all sources they are considered under the general name "courtyard". The older generation lives in the large and main building. This building stands on the north side, and its facade faces south. In the side houses is the youth. Manor houses were often built according to the Shiheyuan system. A closed rectangular building was located in the center, and around it there were utility and technical rooms.
2.Fanza. That is what the name of a Chinese house with brick or adobe walls sounds in Chinese. This structure, as a rule, is one-story and has a gable thatched or reed roof. It has a rectangular shape and consists of two, maximum three rooms. Such dwellings were built in China around the 7th-10th centuries.
3.Tulou. Everyone knows for sure what the Chinese fortress-type houses made of clay are called. Tulou were common in Guangdong and Fujian. They have either a square or round shape. These enclosed structures have the form
fortresses. They were built in such a way that they could defend themselves against external enemies. Round tulos had a diameter of 70 meters or more. The thickness of their smooth walls reached two meters. Instead of windows, small narrow loopholes were cut down.
4.Yaodong. So called farm caves, which are dug in small hills. They have walls, ceiling and floor made of rammed earth. That is, for the construction of these houses, the owners only had to adjust the door and make small window openings. Such dugouts were convenient both in terms of economy and in terms of comfortable temperature, because in the summer these cave houses were cool and warm in the winter. For their construction, a minimum of building materials was needed. The ceiling in this dwelling, of course, was arched, since it was located at the very top of the hill.
5. Pile structures on the water or on the mountainsides will be remembered by everyone at the mention of a Chinese village, but not everyone will be able to remember exactly what Chinese houses of this type are called. Diao jiao low - that's what their unpronounceable name is. They were often built in the south of the country.
6. And ke yin. Another type of oriental house in the form of a Chinese seal. They were mostly found in Yunnan.
