What was the layout of the rooms where wealthy people lived in the Ming Dynasty?

In the Ming Dynasty, the feudal ruling system and feudal ruling ideology reached unprecedented heights, which can also be reflected in the pattern of residential buildings. The feudal patriarchal system takes "ritual" as its core and respects "the order of superiority and inferiority, and the distinction between inside and outside", which is fully reflected in the architectural form of the courtyard. The layout of a courtyard house is generally three rooms in the north room (also called the main room). There are partitions in the room, which are divided into one light and two dark or two light and one dark. There are two rooms in the east and west wings, and three rooms in the south room (also called an inverted seat). They are all tile-roofed houses with bricks lying on the top and raised ridges. A family of two or three generations lives in a courtyard. The head of the family lives in the main room (north room and upper room), and the younger generation lives in the wing rooms. In terms of the use of the east and west wing rooms, the eldest son lives in the east wing room, which is on the left side of the main room, and the second son lives in the east wing room. The west wing is from the left; the south wing is used as the living room or study room. There are brick-paved crossroads in the yard that lead to the east, west, and south houses, and there are steps in front of the house doors. Street gates are generally in the southeast. If there are multiple entrances such as the second entrance to the courtyard, the second gate of the courtyard is a sign that there are other signs inside and outside. In the old days, the female family members of the family "don't go out through the main door and don't take two steps forward", which refers to this door.

The construction of a courtyard is very particular about Feng Shui. From site selection and positioning to determining the specific scale of each building, all must be carried out according to Feng Shui theory. In particular, the door of the courtyard must be opened in the southeast corner. The decoration, carvings and paintings of the courtyard also reflect folk customs and traditional culture, and express people's pursuit of beauty under certain historical conditions. For example, the pattern composed of the characters "bat" and "longevity" means "good fortune and longevity", the pattern of rose flowers placed in the vase means "peace in all seasons", and the auspicious words and auspicious words embedded in the door tubes and door headers are attached to the eaves pillars. The couplets holding the pillars are full of rich cultural flavor and wishes and prayers for happiness, peace, and wealth.

Some people say that the courtyard houses in Beijing are a reduced version of the city of Beijing, or that the city of Beijing is an enlarged courtyard house. , all reflect the functions of each area through the division of doors and walls. From this point of view, the imperial city and palace city can also be regarded as courtyards.