Beijing Quadrangle: Painting Album Chinese-English Version (Chinese Edition)

Beijing quadrangles are famous for its uniqueness in structure because they are typical and representative among Chinese traditional residential housing. Most of Chinese residential housing is the cortile residence, among which the residential courtyards with surrounded houses linked to a whole, are very small in the southern part of China. They are suitable for the climate in the southern part of China, but the ventilation and day lighting are not very ideal. As for Beijing quadrangles, their courtyards are spacious and thinly scattered and the daily life is very convenient. They are closed residences with only one gate facing the street. All surrounded houses open toward the courtyard. The whole family could live a happy and harmonious life. For their spaciousness you could plant trees, cultivate flowers, feed birds and fishes and pile, and lay out stones. Inhabitants could both enjoy the comfortable housing and share the beautiful land bestowed by the nature.