A Cave Dwelling

Sender: dhyliu

Text on card: Cave Dwellings in North China


This card was sent by dhyliu in the Daily Life/Culture RR. It fits the topic to a T. My entire family went ga-ga to see the picture and it was passed around. None of us knew that such cave dwellings still exist in modern times.

Cave dwellings are common in certain areas of northern China where they serve as homes for more than 40 million people. They can be carved out of the side of a cliff, often south-facing, and the facades are sometimes faced with bricks or stone. Or they can be built where there are no hills, by creating sunken courtyards (pit dwellings). After digging a courtyard that is usually about 10 meters deep, rooms are dug off the main courtyard.

The cross section of a cave dwelling is similar to that of a cave: a rectangle in the lower part connected to a semi-circle in the upper part. The width at the floor is from 3 to 4 meters, and the highest point in the ceiling is around 3 meters or higher. Its depth can be 5 meters or more. Windows and doors are installed at the opening. The inner side wall is usually plastered with lime to make it white. A platform called kang is built to be used as a bed. A fireplace is built beside the kang and the smoke and hot gas go through the built-in channels inside the kang to heat it before exiting to outdoor through a chimney. 

A farmer's cave dwelling:-

-is quiet

-warm in winter, cool in summer

-does not damage the environment or use up farmland

-costs less than building a brick and cement house 


Cool! Many thanks to dhyliu!