The alley and quadrangle courtyard are a couple, which also can be called golden partner in northern urban buildings. They are interdependent, divided by each other and organically integrated. Jinan is not an exception.
The quadrangle courtyard of Jinan is similar to but different from that of Beijing. It has its own architectural style. The old city area has waters and mountains and a lot of springs inside it. For this reason, the architectural layouts and forms of old Jinan city are balanced with hardness and softness, combining the features of south and north, so that it possesses the simplicity of north China and exquisiteness of south china. The traditional residential houses adopt the classical layout of quadrangle courtyards, featuring blue bricks, sun-dried mud bricks, stone-made walls and grey tiles and beautifully shaped ridges; the courtyards are mainly single-yards, while rich people or dignified officials usually have two or more.
The gatehouse, screen wall, architectural sculpture and green plants in courtyards are indispensable components of a quadrangle courtyard building. The gatehouse is usually a bright spot for its whole image and appearance symbolizes the host s position, social status, affluence, and aesthetic tendency. Generally speaking, the gatehouses for common people are low and narrow while that for rich people are high and magnificent. The screen wall is the so called Xiao Qiang in ancient times that was also the most decorated place in the whole quadrangle courtyard. Coordinated with each other, the screen wall and the gatehouse form an interdependent integration, adding a sense of security to some degree through avoiding the commanding view at first glance.
The screen walls of Jinan are mostly combined with the head walls of the wing-houses, dependent on the headwall yet standing out from it. Exquisite carvings on brick, wood or stone, are mostly seen in high-level gatehouses, door covers and screen walls and hall wall decorations. The sculptures are mainly lute-playing, chess, calligraphy and painting as well as flowers, grass and animals. One thing that deserves mention is that the lotus image is commonly seen in the sculptures of quadrangle courtyards, which embodies the strong local flavor of Jinan. People have long been adjusted to planting trees and flowers in their courtyards. And pomegranate trees are commonly seen in Jinan residential houses. Nearly every courtyard is planted with pomegranate trees, bearing the wish of ancient people to have more sons and more blessings. And, of the big trees in the quadrangle courtyards, the most commonly seen are phoenix trees. As the saying goes, golden phoenix will not be attracted to live in without phoenix tree. This may bear the hope of of the owners of having a wife and children and being happy forever.
In the past, the quadrangle courtyards were mostly in the form of one yard for one family , that is the so-called single yard - single family . Afterwards, the courtyards have become the places for mixed living, and the population has become dense subsequently. However, residents being used to living in the courtyards feel comfortable and natural: the courtyard becomes a warm nest if the door is closed. Old or young from several families live in harmony and happiness, just as living a hermit life. The drastic changes in cities have nothing to do with them, who still live a life that is simple, harmonious, steady, slow and a bit lazy.
Editor Melinda
