It is a good house that has unity, hierarchy, and aesthetics, echoes high and low, combines the five elements, and responds to the four images. (Image source: Adobe stock)
“Ning RangQinglongIt’s so high, I won’t let you gowhite tigerWhat does “look up” mean? House relatedarchitectural aestheticsand life experience, the major event of house building embodies the wisdom passed down by the ancients.
In the layout of Chinese-style houses, we pay attention to symmetry and harmony without losing order. Viewed from a distance, they are unified, with clear priorities; viewed up close, the different interests are not obtrusive. Unity, hierarchy, aesthetics, echoing high and low, harmoniousfive elements,answerfour imagesis a good house.
The supporting auxiliary house besides the main house is a wing room, which is commonly known as “Gulong”. The east and west wing rooms are common. It looks like a right-hand man, but in fact he is very particular, “I would rather let the green dragon be ten thousand feet high than let the white tiger look up.” This statement comes from Feng Shui theory, which means that the east chamber must be higher than the wing chamber.
What’s the point?
1. In line with Feng Shui theory
House Feng Shui is a branch of life application under the ancient metaphysics “Book of Changes”. It refers to the influence of the layout of the house and the surrounding environment on the good and bad luck of the owner’s family. Essentially, it explains the good or bad relationship between the living environment and the host family.
According to the Feng Shui of the Book of Changes, there are four images: a green dragon on the left (east), a white tiger on the right (west), a red bird in the front (south), and a black basalt in the back (north). Therefore, from the perspective of sitting north and facing south, the four images correspond to the layout of the house one by one. Then, the east chamber corresponds to the blue dragon, and the west chamber corresponds to the white tiger.
The main house faces south, is tall and stable, and is the tallest building; the east wing is slightly higher than the west wing, which means that the green dragon overwhelms the white tiger. The gate in the Southern Dynasty is best to be open and open to the sun. This is the same theory as the cemetery Feng Shui saying “lean forward and backward, and surround each other from left to right”.
“I would rather let the green dragon be ten thousand feet high than let the white tiger look up.” It is very emphasized that the height of the east chamber must be higher than that of the west chamber.
To the west is the white tiger. The white tiger is a yin, a mixture of bad and good luck. In ancient culture, white tigers can both ward off evil spirits and symbolize killing. A crouching tiger is for protection, a leaping tiger is unlucky, and a white tiger cannot raise its head. As the old saying goes, “Be afraid of heights near the tiger”, it also means to avoid heights in the west wing.
To the east is Qinglong. Both belong to the four spirits, and the green dragon symbolizes justice and light. The dragon is a sacred object that soars into the clouds and rides on the mist, and its height is an auspicious symbol. The so-called soaring dragon subdues the tiger, the green dragon suppresses the white tiger, and the east chamber suppresses the west chamber, it is auspicious.
Therefore, “It is better to let the green dragon be ten thousand feet tall than to let the white tiger look up.” First of all, it comes from Feng Shui theory.
2. In line with traditional culture
The east-west orientation and the order of seniority and youth are also reflected in the architecture. (Image source: Adobe stock)
The sun rises in the east, its path is bright. In traditional houses, the east is the most respected, and among all the wing rooms, the east wing is naturally the highest grade. According to Chinese folk customs, the elders live in the main house, and the eldest son and daughter-in-law live in the east chamber.
The east-west orientation and the order of seniority and youth should also be reflected in the architecture. Therefore, there are subtle differences in status and height between the east and west wing rooms, with the east wing being slightly higher than the west wing. In terms of construction materials, scale and decoration, the main house is the best, followed by the east wing.
Despite this, due to climate problems, the east wing in North China is cold in winter and hot in summer. There is insufficient light indoors and it is easy to get damp. The living experience of the east wing in the north is far inferior to that of the west wing, and the east wing is not suitable for long-term living.
Therefore, in real life, the west wing is more common in residential houses, and the east wing is only possible if the yard is large to balance the overall house pattern. The east wing is rarely occupied or used for storage. It is usually a good choice to use it as a guest room. After all, there are many relatives and friends in rural areas.
Traditional Chinese architecture is complex, vast and profound, integrating many elements of architecture, culture, aesthetics and life.
In terms of architectural theory, the house has rich combinations, including the main house, wing rooms, gatehouse, kitchen, bathroom, courtyard walls… Large families also have corridors, and there are flower beds and other elegant places in the courtyard. A good house requires a clear layout, harmony and unity, clear priorities, well-proportioned, prominent themes, and exquisite auxiliary services.
High in the east and low in the west is one of the principles of traditional architecture. The main house is tall and stable, and the wing rooms and other auxiliary buildings are arranged in an orderly manner to reflect the overall well-proportioned sense of layering and space of the house.
Here comes the question. The old saying “high” is of course an exaggeration. So how high should the east wing be and the west wing be? There is no so-called standard answer, but there are practical references. This is related to the overall size and layout of the house.
The door has its size, and the house has its width. If it is an ordinary courtyard, the layout is compact. According to folklore, the east wing can be 3 inches higher. If the courtyard is spacious and the distance between wing rooms is widened, the east wing can be appropriately raised, so that the overall proportion of the house is coordinated. This will prevent people from feeling that the east and west wings are at the same height.
In short, the main house and yard determine the height of all auxiliary buildings, including yard walls and gates. The layout should be harmonious and the proportions should be harmonious. The houses should be well-proportioned and the door should not be too high. Otherwise, it will be visually depressing if it approaches the main house.
Architectural aesthetics are broad and profound, and folk culture is profound and vast, but wisdom comes from the people. “It would be better to let the blue dragon be ten thousand feet high than to let the white tiger look up.” This old saying combines many elements of architecture, Feng Shui, and folk customs. Feng Shui is a metaphysics, and from the perspective of folk customs and architecture, there is also truth and wisdom in it.
Although the living experience of the east wing is not as good as that of the west wing, it does not affect that it is an important part of architectural aesthetics. The east wing also has its practical functions in daily life, either as storage, as a guest room, or as an occasional stay.
Editor in charge: Shu He
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