Yueyang Tower and Siheyuan

2 min read

Yueyang Tower

The Yueyang Tower stands magnificently on the west gate of the Yueyang city wall, looking down at the Dongting Lake . The Yueyang Tower is a three-storey building which reaches about 20 meters high and is built entirely from wood. Surprisingly, not a single nail or beam was used when it was being built.

This is a rare feature in classical architecture. Pillars have been included in the construction to ensure the strength of the building. Four pillars made of “Nanmu” wood, each with the diameter of 50 centimeters, bear the entire weight of the Tower; twelve other pillars support the eaves of the first storey and a further twelve pillars have been included to support the second storey. The roof is built using unusual curved lines which are similar to the shape of a helmet used by a general of ancient times.

Siheyuan

Siheyuan (Seal-like Compound) is a well-known typical building in Beijing and other northern cities in China. However, in Kunming, Yunnan Province, there is also a typical building called Yikeyin which is quite similar to Siheyuan. “Yin” means the seal in Chinese. The shape of this set of buildings is just like a seal. So it is called Yikeyin. Unlike the northern style of buildings which are famous for their royal style, Yikeyin is more compact. The gate of Yikeyin usually faces the south with a screen wall standing behind it.

This screen wall can protect the privacy of people living in the yard and also protect against bad luck. On all the three sides of the courtyard stand connected buildings of two stories. There are three principal rooms with two wing-rooms on either side. The living room is usually the central room on the first floor of the principal building. The host’s bedroom is on either the left or the right. Other rooms on the first floor are for cooking and livestock. The rest rooms are for other family members and for storage.