Well, okay, now of course very few Chinese live, this is more of a tourist attraction. But many people used to live like this. What are the savings? Construction material? So digging and strengthening such a cave is also not easy. A coldness, dampness? Nowhere have I seen such tendencies in folk traditions on such a large scale. In the mountains - yes, but not underground in the pits.
Let's find out more about this tradition and maybe find answers to these questions …
The amazing centuries-old tradition of the indigenous people in Central China is that they do not build their homes in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, they live underground, digging their homes in the ground. This tradition is more than 4000 years old. Such houses can be seen in the city of Sanmenhee in Henan province, where the series of underground dwellings is about 10,000 houses.
The origins of the Yaodong houses can be traced back to the Bronze Age when people lived in deep pits and dugouts, and they became widely popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
These dwellings, called yaodong (cave houses) in China, have been inhabited for six generations over the past 200 years.
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In 2011, the houses were listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of China and are currently protected.
The underground dwellings were mainly built around the city of Sanmensia in Henan province. The loess hills in which they were built were created over thousands of years by strong winds that deposited the silt land into huge mounds.
Square or rectangular dwellings are dug in the ground to a depth of 6 to 11 meters, the temperature inside is about 10 degrees in winter and 20 degrees in summer.
These homes also boast features such as earthquake resistance, sound insulation and even energy savings. Such houses served several functions. They provided coolness in the summer heat and were located near farmland. The only problem was the ubiquitous rodents.
Today underground dwellings have been modernized, and many of them are equipped with electricity and plumbing.
Henan provincial officials have announced the protection of these areas and plans to turn them into tourist attractions.
Today, everyone can live in "Yaodun", a one-bedroom dwelling "without amenities" is available for $ 30 a month.
Let's visit Huayuantun Village, Wanhuashan County, Yan'an City, in the north of Shaanxi Province. In this village, the absolute majority of more than a hundred families live in "yaoduns". The 53-year-old peasant Zhang Zhijun has both his sons already married and "presented" him with a grandson and granddaughter. According to Zhang Zhijun, their family has been living in Yaoduts for many generations. He said:
“It’s good and warm at Yaodong, our family is very comfortable here. My grandfather lived in such a house all his years, and for many generations of our family! My grandson and granddaughter were also born in a cave house. I can't get used to living outside the Yaodun, because it is warm here in winter and cool in summer."
More than 4 thousand years ago, on the Loess Plateau, located in the northern part of Shaanxi province, people began to dig caves for residence. In these areas, loess soils are very viscous and hard, which is why they shrink very slightly. Usually caves are dug in the side of the mountain. They are simple, easy and cheap to build. Such caves are warm in winter and cool in summer. To this day, there are many cave houses on the Loess Plateau, in which more than 40 million people live. The cave is over three meters high and wide, and at least 20 meters deep. The entrances of all caves are oriented to the south, towards the sun, as it is most convenient for daylight. Some caves are not fortified by anything, while others are lined with stones or bricks. Cave houses lined with bricks on the outside are considered more beautiful.
The family of the aforementioned Zhang Zhijun lives in 8 cave houses spread over three floors. The two upper caves were dug by Zhang Zhijun's father in 1962. To this day, they have retained their former appearance. The construction of the intermediate three caves was completed in 1964, and they were reinforced with bricks several years ago. Zhang Zhijun lives here with his wife, youngest son, daughter-in-law and grandson. Below, at the foot of the mountain, there are three caves of the lower tier, which were built more than 20 years ago. The family of the eldest son now lives there.
In the very depths of the cave there is a large kan bed. On one side of the "kana" there is a stove. There, Zhang's family members prepare food. The correspondent's eyes were drawn to the three walls around the couch, which are decorated with beautiful paper cuttings and drawings. As Wang Kewen, a researcher at the Yan'an Museum of Popular Culture of Shaanxi Province, explained, this is done, on the one hand, to decorate the room, and on the other, to avoid bed linen coming into contact with the wall. Wang Kewen said:
“For a long time, an original art form developed in the northern part of Shaanxi Province. For every local resident, Yaodong Cave is a kind of world in miniature. Local women are very fond of beauty and always diligently decorate their home to make it more elegant and cozy. They stick paper designs on windows, walls and even ceilings. Some of these works have fully embraced the characteristic features of the art of the Yaodong caves."
The Yaoduns are attracting more and more tourists, both Chinese and foreign. Many families have prepared their caves to receive tourists. Zhang Zhijun said the following about this:
“Many tourists come to us. Sitting on a couch, tourists often praise the interior decoration of the Yaodun. We treat guests with local specialties and perform our yange dance for them. Foreigners love paper cuttings and the daughter-in-law shows tourists how to make them."
Today, local residents have gradually realized the value of the "yaoduns" in which they have lived for many generations, this understanding helped them to improve their lives. In the village of Yangjialing, there is the world's largest complex of cave buildings, located in 8 rows with a total of more than 300 rooms. Peasant drawings are pasted on the walls, paper cuttings on the windows, and a stone millstone, table and chairs are displayed in front of each cave. Everything has a special rural flavor.
However, along with the reception of tourists from different parts of the country and the world, many local peasants, looking at the urban ones, begin to move from the "yaoduns" and build spacious one-story or two-story houses for themselves.