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The Chinese Home: The Traditional Plan of Chinese Homes

In general traditional Chinese homes have these components:

• A walled enclosure
  The wall secures privacy and serves as a defense in times of emergency. It also defines a physical space inside which people belong to one another, a place for the unity of family.
• The courtyard
  The courtyard allows sunlight into the inner spaces of the house and provides an outdoor activity space for the celebration of festivals. Sometimes it is a garden.
• The axial plan
  Axial planning provides an organized method for giving Chinese houses a sense of order and balance.
• The north-south orientation
  The solar-orientation provides a sunny, southern exposure to the major living spaces.
• Inward planning concept
  The houses are planned around a courtyard with the maximum linkage between the indoor and outdoor space. This represents the unity of man and nature, while focusing on the importance of the family.

Discussion Questions

1. Draw a diagram of your home.  How is it similar to or different from the traditional Chinese home?
2. What is the equivalent of the courtyard in American homes?

Family Hierarchy in a Beijing House

Reprinted with permission from Echoes of China (see full reference under Recommended Resources on Section Table of Contents page for Society and Culture).