Northwestern Cave Dwellings

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There are large areas of loess in the middle reaches of the Yellow River that can be dug easily and have the characteristic of cold resistance, so cave dwellings dug horizontally on loess cliffs are extensively distributed in Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and other provinces.

The cave dwelling is a residence that is attached to the earth and is fully in tune with natural ecology. It does not have the typical form or outline found in ordinary buildings. It exhibits an artistic aura -the natural yellow of the earth, its rough texture and its creation of living space in the cave’s interior. It is rough, unsophisticated and rich in local flavor. There are three main types of cave dwellings: those built in the cliff, in the earth, and with stone.

Cave dwellings that are built in the cliff were created out of a horizontal cave. They are set at the foot of a hill and along a ditch and undulated in height. Given the thickness of the cave walls,a hole can also be dug above the existing cave to create a “sky cave,”which allows sunlight into the cave. The cave can be connected to the surface with a slope, brick steps, or an indoor staircase. Outside the cave dwelling is usually a small courtyard enclosed within a mud wall. It can also be joined with a stone cave dwelling to form a big courtyard house with several sections.

The courtyard cave dwelling is created by digging deep into the ground, forming a sunken courtyard in the ground. Then in the four walls, caves are dug to create rooms. The courtyard cave is linked to the surface by way of a long staircase, which can be placed either within the courtyard or built through the earth. Staircases have all kinds of forms, including the straight ones, turning ones and round ones, adding a delightful touch to the cluster of courtyard cave dwellings.

Stone cave dwellings are constructed using bricks and stones. The most common design of the stone cave dwelling is the three-cavity cave dwelling, which also forms the basic unit of a courtyard compound. It can also be connected with a wooden house, with the stone cave dwelling functioning as the best room because it is warm in winter and cool in summer.

Although the architectural style of cave dwellings is quite different from other residential houses, in terms of the combination of space it still retains the traditional layout of a Chinese household. The northern portion of the cave dwelling still functions as the family dayroom or is exclusively used as the bedroom of the most senior members of the family. The side rooms at the eastern and western ends of the house are still used as bedrooms, kitchens and storerooms of the house. The southern side is where the entrance of the house is located and also where one finds the toilet and the livestock pen. The maingate of the courtyard is constructed at the southeastern corner of the house.

Hence, there are many resemblances in spatial relationships to a typical courtyard house. From this, we can see how far-reaching the impact of ancient feudal clan society is. The essence remains the inner yard style regardless of the different forms and materials used in constructing a residential dwelling.