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Buildings in Other Places
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Buildings in Other Places
Worksheet 1 Buildings in other parts of China
IH
After a study on the traditional Chinese and Western buildings in Hong Kong, we
now take you on a virtual tour of buildings outside Hong Kong. When you visit
these buildings, you should ask
1.
how the buildings meet the needs of the people;
2.
how they adapt to the local environment.
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Buildings in Other Places
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Source:Hong Kong China Tourism Press
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Source: David Lung
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Source: Chang Ping-hung
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Source: Chang Chao-kang
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Resouce: Wong Kam-sing
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Buildings in Other Places
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Listen to/Read the following sources. Which houses are they referring to?
N
S
House A Courtyard House 合院式住宅
This type of house best represents the traditional culture of the Han people.
Among traditional Chinese dwellings, it is the greatest in number and the most
widely distributed in China. In the north, this type of house can be found in the
provinces of Hebei30, Shandong31, Shanxi32, Shaanxi33 and northeastern China.
The main hall and the courtyard are the most important parts of these
houses. Ancestral worship, weddings and funerals, as well as education of the
young all take place in the main hall. The main hall is located at the rear end.
The courtyard is surrounded by blocks on four sides.
All the blocks are
symmetrical34 and have a north-south central axis35.
accommodates a household.
Each house
Family members live in different rooms
according to the hierarchy36. Members of different generations also tend to
stay close by building similar houses nearby.
1.
Do you know why these houses usually face south?
These houses usually face south in order to get more sunlight during winter.
People believe that facing south will bring good feng shui.
2.
Can you find similar houses in Hong Kong?
No definite answer
30
Hebei
河北
35
axis
軸
31
Shandong
36
hierarchy
山東
32
等級高低
Shanxi
山西
33
Shaanxi
陝西
34
symmetrical
對稱
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House B Hakka Rammed Earth House 客家土樓式住宅
These houses have a unique architectural form.
These houses are huge.
It can be found in Fujian 37.
They can be as tall as ten meters and more than sixty
meters in diameter. They are enclosed by very thick mud walls. Windows are
usually very small. The living units are built along the inner walls. The size
and shape of the living units are the same. Clan members, as many as three to
five hundred people, live in this single house.
middle of the house.
The courtyard is located in the
The ancestral hall and the main hall are located at the
center of the courtyard.
3.
Do you know why high walls and small windows are built?
It is to protect the people against enemies.
4.
List one similarity between House B and House A.
The ancestral hall and the main hall are the most important parts of the house. OR
More than one household and generation live together.
5.
Can you find similar houses in Hong Kong?
No definite answer
37
Fujian
福建
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House C Cave Dwelling
This kind of house is found in the thick loess38 regions of western Henan39,
central Shanxi, northern Shaanxi, eastern Gansu40 and Qinghai41. People live in
these caves which are of two types: cliffside caves and sunken courtyard-style
caves. Cliffside caves are dug from the loess cliffs. Sunken courtyard-style
caves are built where there is no cliff. They are dug into the four walls of an
open pit which forms a courtyard type of dwelling. Those living in a pit belong
to the same family. The cave ceiling is dome shaped so that the loading of the
soil above is transferred to the walls on both sides. The ceiling is usually 3 to 5
meters thick.
If it is too thin, rain water seeps42 through.
If it is too thick, the
cave may collapse as the soil on top becomes too heavy.
38
loess
黃土
39
Henan
河南
40
Gansu
甘肅
41
Qinghai
青海
42
seep
滲出
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6.
Buildings in Other Places
Do you know why people live in caves instead of houses?
Where there is a lack of wood and much poverty, people cannot afford houses.
7.
What are the advantages of living in the caves
They protect people from the cold wind of winter and the hot sun of summer.
8.
What are the disadvantages of living in the caves?
Cave humidity is high
Lighting is inadequate
Ventilation is poor
Water seepage
9.
Can you find similar houses in Hong Kong?
No definite answer
6
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Buildings in Other Places
House D
7
Stilt House 干欄屋式住宅
These houses are found in Yunnan43, Guizhou44, Guangdong45 and Guangxi46,
among minority people such as the Dai47 , Zhuang48 , Wa49 and Dong50.
Supported on wooden or bamboo stilts （gan-lan51）, the houses are rectangular in
shape and small in size. Each consists of a hall, a bedroom, a front porch52, a
drying deck on the podium53 and supporting stilts on the lower level.
All family
members live in the same bedroom. The hall serves as dinning room, kitchen and
guestroom.
These provinces are located in the southern region of China.
10. Do you know anything about the climate of these areas?
The climate is humid and rainy.
11. Can you explain the relationship between the climate and the way people build
their houses?
The houses are built in this way in order to avoid flooding and insects.
12. How would you describe the size and the slope of the roof?
The roof is large and steep.
13. What advantages are there for this kind of roof?
It provides easy drainage and protection from the sun.
14. Can you find similar houses in Hong Kong?
No definite answer
43
Yunnan
雲南
44
Guizhou
貴州
45
48
Zhuang
壯族
49
Wa
佤族
50
53
podium
曬台
Guangdong
Dong
廣東
46
侗族
51
Guangxi
gan-lan
廣西
干欄
傣族
47
Dai
52
porch 前廊
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House E Flat-roof House 碉樓
These houses are found mainly in Xizang (Tibet), Xinjiang and Yunnan. They
are usually three to four storeys tall, each occupied by one single household. The
Tibetans call them diao-fang54. The external walls are made of stone and are flat
and square. The roofs are flat. The houses blend in with the contours of the
mountain. In a typical four-storey house, the lowest storey is for keeping livestock;
the second storey is where people cook and store food and hay, the third storey
consists of a living room, bedroom and mini store room, and the top storey serves as
a drying deck and worship hall which is beautifully decorated.
15. What is/are the purpose(s) of flat roofs?
To receive more sunlight;
To provide space for drying food
16. Why are multi-storey houses built in these areas?
There is very little flat land, so people build multi-storey houses to create more living
space.
17. Which part of the house is the most important?
The worship hall.
18. Why is it so important to the Tibertans?
They are devout Buddhists.
19. Can you find similar houses in Hong Kong?
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No definite answer
54
diao-fang
碉房
House F Tent Dwelling 帳篷式住宅
These houses are found mainly in Neimenggu55 (Inner Mongolia). They are
round with a dome-shaped top, easy to set up and dismantle56. A wooden frame
is made first, then covered over by leather.
additional wooden columns.
Larger tents are supported by 2 to 4
There are no partitions57 inside the house.
There
is a fireplace in the middle of the house for cooking and heating. The diameter of
a tent is 4 to 6 meters. On the floor are a piece of very thick leather pad and
woolen blankets.
On the roof is a round hole which is opened during the day and
closed at night.
20. Why do people need to set up and dismantle their houses from time to time?
These people need to move from place to place in search of new grassland.
21. Why is leather used to build the tent?
There is a lack of building materials in the grassland. Leather is the most easily
available and most suitable for the conditions.
S1 IH (Teacher’s Version)
55
Neimenggu
內蒙古
56
dismentle
拆除
57
partitions
隔牆
22. Where is the kitchen?
answer?
Buildings in Other Places
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Can you get a clue from the picture to support your
The kitchen is inside the tent. The chimney is the clue.
23. What is the purpose of letting the round hole on the roof open at day time and
closed at night?
It is let open during the day for ventilation and closed at night to keep the tent warm.
24. Can you find similar houses in Hong Kong?
No definite answer
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These houses are mainly found
in Sichuan58 and Guizhou.
They
are usually built on steep slopes and
riverbanks. One part of the house
rests on firm ground or leans against
the cliff and the other part is
supported by wood pillars. These
houses are usually multi-storey.
House G
住宅
Overhanging House 吊腳樓式
25. What is the major landscape feature of Sichuan and Guizhou?
The region is hilly.
26. Why are multi-storey houses built?
To create more living space.
27. List one similarity between House D and G.
They are both supported by pillars.
28. Can you find similar houses in Hong Kong?
No definite answer
29. Among these houses (House A to G), which house(s) is/are for extended families?
Which is/are for single households?
Houses A, B and C are for extended families.
Houses D, E, F and G are for single households.
58
Sichuan
四川
S1 IH (Teacher’s Version)
Buildings in Other Places
Studying different types of domestic houses, we understand
that regional differences, environmental, social and economic
conditions all affect the way houses are built.
The building
materials people use reflect their living standard.
Culture is
reflected in the arrangement of space and functions of different
rooms.
In what ways do buildings in Hong Kong reflect the environmental, social and
economic conditions of Hong Kong?
Interesting websites
www.greatbuildings.com/types.html
http://211.100.6.53/scripts/page/9/index.dll?userid=whglobe
http://www.geocities.com/b571hk/main1.htm
http://dpl.topcool.net/neirong.htm
http://www.sec.nl/persons/stals/nns97/grp03/htdocs/chinese/Architecture.html
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IH
Buildings in Other Places
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Worksheet 2 Buildings in Medieval Europe
(from about AD 500 to 1500)
Originally, a castle was a fortress built to protect strategic locations from enemy
attack.
It also served as a military base for invading armies. The earliest castles in
Europe were made of wood.
Later, people built castles with stone walls, narrow
windows and watch towers.
Villages grew around castles for protection from invading armies. Nobles wanted
the safest place for themselves -- inside the castle walls. So, castles became homes
and served as important political and military centers.
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I want to build a fortress
strong enough to defend
against the enemies.
No problem. But we should
choose a site first. Would
you choose site A, B or C?
Site C: by the river
Site A: on top of a
hill
Site B: on flat land
I would choose Site A because it is easier to defend.
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I have designed a castle for you,
Sir.
It
has
many
defensive
features. Let me explain.
`
I
E
F
H
D
G
A
C
B
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A. There is a small canal around the castle. It is filled with water. This forms a
moat. Its function is to make it difficult for enemies to place ladders upon the
castle wall.
B. People enter or leave the castle through the
drawbridge
raise it to protect the castle when enemies come.
C. For more protection, an
castle.
iron gate
D. The castle wall is made of stone.
. Soldiers can
can be dropped at the entrance of the
It is several meters thick.
E. There are lookout towers / watch towers
for enemies.
F. Soldiers can also defend the castle on the
G. They can shoot arrows through the
.
From there, soldiers watch out
walkways
at the top of the wall.
gun slots / openings
I like your design.
on the wall.
However, sometimes
fighting can last for months. My castle must
be self-supporting.
Besides, where can I
store my weapons and lock up the prisoners?
No problem. My design
has already taken these
needs into consideration.
H. There is an open area inside the castle. Horses, pigs and cattle can be kept there.
Water is not a problem because there is a
well
within the castle. Can
you locate it?
I.
The largest and tallest building in the middle of the castle is the
Enemy soldiers can be locked up in the
jail
It can be turned into a storeroom in times of peace.
keep 主樓
.
which is at the bottom level.
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J.
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Please look at the stairway in the castle. It is designed for a defensive purpose.
The stairway turns downward in an anti-clockwise
direction. In this way
Soldier A can fight with a sword in his right hand. Enemy B who is going
upstairs cannot do that.
A
B
S1 IH (Teacher’s Version)
Study the picture below.
activities inside?
Characters
the Lord and Lady
guests
knights
soldiers
enemy soldiers
servants
entertainers
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Can you describe the functions of the keep and the
The following words can help you.
Place/Venue
great hall
living room
bedroom
kitchen
jail
storeroom
Activities
enjoy meals
prepare meals
imprison
store food, wine and weapons
tell stories and perform shows
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My Lord, after
completion,
your castle will
Beautiful!
be like this.
I like it very
much.
Useful websites
A website that provides many links relating to castles
www.castleontheweb.com/
To build your own medieval castle, you can download
this free educational software from the following
website:
http://www.yourchildrens.com/castle.htm
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You have studied the walled village in Section 1 (pages 6-7). Compare the defensive
features of a walled village with those of a castle.
differences between them?
List some similarities and
Similarities and differences between the defensive features of a walled village and
a castle
Walled Village
Similarities 1.
Castle
thick and high walls
2.
watch towers
3.
gun slots on the wall
4.
may have a moat
5.
built for defensive purpose
6.
can be self-sustaining for a long period in times of war
Differences 1.
located on flat land
1. located on the top of a hill or
near a river
2. owned by a clan or a family
2.
3. feng-shui consideration
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
owned by a noble
What have you learned?
You have learned to
1. understand that buildings reflect the environmental, social and economic
conditions as well as the culture of a society;
2. identify the defensive features of a castle in Medieval Europe;
3. compare and contrast the defensive features of a castle in Europe and a
walled village in China.