Yaodong
Encyclopedia
A yaodong or "cave house" is a particular form of earth shelter
dwelling common in the Loess Plateau
in China's
north. They are generally carved out of a hillside or excavated horizontally from a central "sunken courtyard".
The earth that surrounds the indoor space serves as an effective insulator keeping the inside of the structure warm in cold seasons and cool in hot seasons. Consequently, very little heating is required in winter, and in summer, it is as cool as an air-conditioned room.
The history of yaodongs goes back centuries, and they continue to be used.
There are also yaodong built wholly or partially outdoors, with an arch structure semicircular inspired by the underground dwellings and the construction of underground yaodong no longer allowed, the new homes of this type, vaulted to adobes are now common among farmers in the area.
More elaborate yaodongs may have a façade
built with stones with fine patterns carved on the surface. Yaodongs can also be constructed with stones or bricks as stand-alone structures. The inner side wall is usually plastered with lime to make it white.
and, according to Chinese tradition, the Xia Dynasty
. Chinese scholars generally believe that this type of habitat has developed mainly from the Han dynasty
(-206 to 220), along with a progressive improvement of construction techniques to the dynasties Sui
( 581 to 618 ) and Tang
(618 to 907). But it is during the dynasties Ming
( 1368 to 1644 ) and Qing
(1644 to 1912) that the pace of construction reached its peak.
of China
in the North and are found mainly in four provinces: Gansu
, Shanxi
, Henan
, and the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia
.
In the Qingyang region especially, the ratio of cave dwellers to non-cave dwellers is the highest found anywhere in China.
The most famous yaodongs in China are perhaps those in Yan'an
. The communists led by Mao Zedong
headquartered there in 1935-1948 and lived in yaodongs. Edgar Snow
visited Mao and his party in Yan'an and wrote Red Star Over China
. An estimated 40 million people in northern China live in yaodongs.
Earth sheltering
Earth sheltering is the architectural practice of using earth against building walls for external thermal mass, to reduce heat loss, and to easily maintain a steady indoor air temperature...
dwelling common in the Loess Plateau
Loess Plateau
The Loess Plateau , also known as the Huangtu Plateau, is a plateau that covers an area of some 640,000 km² in the upper and middle reaches of China's Yellow River. Loess is the name for the silty sediment that has been deposited by wind storms on the plateau over the ages...
in China's
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
north. They are generally carved out of a hillside or excavated horizontally from a central "sunken courtyard".
The earth that surrounds the indoor space serves as an effective insulator keeping the inside of the structure warm in cold seasons and cool in hot seasons. Consequently, very little heating is required in winter, and in summer, it is as cool as an air-conditioned room.
The history of yaodongs goes back centuries, and they continue to be used.
Types of yaodong
There are two types of underground yaodong:- those dug in loess cliffs, on the side of the valley: a typical example is the troglodyte city of Yan'anYan'anYan'an , is a prefecture-level city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province in China, administering several counties, including Zhidan County , which served as the Chinese communist capital before the city of Yan'an proper took that role....
; - those dug around an excavation conducted at the surface, serving as interior courtyard, called yaodong-well or sunken courtyard (photo cons).
There are also yaodong built wholly or partially outdoors, with an arch structure semicircular inspired by the underground dwellings and the construction of underground yaodong no longer allowed, the new homes of this type, vaulted to adobes are now common among farmers in the area.
More elaborate yaodongs may have a façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
built with stones with fine patterns carved on the surface. Yaodongs can also be constructed with stones or bricks as stand-alone structures. The inner side wall is usually plastered with lime to make it white.
Origins of yaodong
The first type yaodong underground dwellings date from the 2nd millennium, China's Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and, according to Chinese tradition, the Xia Dynasty
Xia Dynasty
The Xia Dynasty is the first dynasty in China to be described in ancient historical chronicles such as Bamboo Annals, Classic of History and Records of the Grand Historian. The Xia Dynasty was established by the legendary Yu the Great after Shun, the last of the Five Emperors gave his throne to him...
. Chinese scholars generally believe that this type of habitat has developed mainly from the Han dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
(-206 to 220), along with a progressive improvement of construction techniques to the dynasties Sui
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
( 581 to 618 ) and Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618 to 907). But it is during the dynasties Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
( 1368 to 1644 ) and Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
(1644 to 1912) that the pace of construction reached its peak.
Geographic distribution
The yaodong homes are common on the Loess PlateauLoess Plateau
The Loess Plateau , also known as the Huangtu Plateau, is a plateau that covers an area of some 640,000 km² in the upper and middle reaches of China's Yellow River. Loess is the name for the silty sediment that has been deposited by wind storms on the plateau over the ages...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in the North and are found mainly in four provinces: Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
, and the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
.
In the Qingyang region especially, the ratio of cave dwellers to non-cave dwellers is the highest found anywhere in China.
Notable examples
Many thousands of people died in collapsed yaodongs in the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake.The most famous yaodongs in China are perhaps those in Yan'an
Yan'an
Yan'an , is a prefecture-level city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province in China, administering several counties, including Zhidan County , which served as the Chinese communist capital before the city of Yan'an proper took that role....
. The communists led by Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
headquartered there in 1935-1948 and lived in yaodongs. Edgar Snow
Edgar Snow
Edgar P. Snow was an American journalist known for his books and articles on Communism in China and the Chinese Communist revolution...
visited Mao and his party in Yan'an and wrote Red Star Over China
Red Star Over China
Red Star Over China, a book by Edgar Snow, is an account of the Communist Party of China written when they were a guerrilla army still obscure to Westerners. Along with Pearl Buck's The Good Earth, it was the most influential book on Western understanding and sympathy for China in the 1930s...
. An estimated 40 million people in northern China live in yaodongs.
See also
- Earth houseEarth houseAn earth house is an architectural style characterized by the use of natural terrain to help form the walls of a house. An earth house is usually set partially into the ground and covered with thin growth...
- Earth shelteringEarth shelteringEarth sheltering is the architectural practice of using earth against building walls for external thermal mass, to reduce heat loss, and to easily maintain a steady indoor air temperature...
- Green buildingGreen buildingGreen building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
- Underground homeUnderground homeAn underground home is a house or dwelling that lies under the standard ground level on a flat piece of land, or is built into a hillside or mountain side.- History :There is only written documentation of Scythian and German subterranean dwellings...
- Underground livingUnderground livingUnderground living refers simply to living below the ground's surface, whether in naturally occurring caves or in built structures.Underground homes are an attractive alternative to traditionally built homes for some house seekers, especially those who are looking to minimize their home's negative...