Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

"Siheyuan Storm" With the smooth progress of the protection and renewal project of the historical block where the Siheyuan is located, its successful experience has attracted widespread attention in the field of urban planning at home and abroad. An international urban development research institution came here, hoping to cooperate deeply with the community where the Siheyuan is located to carry out a research project called "Traditional Community Wisdom and Modern Urban Livability", aiming to deeply explore the traditional wisdom of the Siheyuan community, such as living patterns, neighborhood relations, and resource sharing, and explore how to integrate it into modern urban planning concepts to improve the livability and sustainable development level of global cities. The expert team of the research institution held the first meeting with Siheyuan residents and community staff. The head of the expert group said: "The harmonious symbiosis model of the Siheyuan community is fascinating. We found that the residents here have close emotional connections and efficient resource mutual assistance mechanisms. For example, in terms of space utilization, the public courtyard is not only a place for leisure and entertainment, but also a space for temporary storage and allocation of materials in special periods; in terms of neighborhood relations, residents trust and support each other, and the elderly and children can be properly taken care of in the community. We hope that through this research, we can refine and transform these excellent traditional elements and provide new ideas for modern urban community planning." Aunt Zhao, a resident, asked curiously: "How are you going to do the research? Will it disturb our normal life?" The expert smiled and replied, "Don't worry, Aunt Zhao. We will use a combination of multiple research methods to minimize the impact on residents' lives. The first is field observation and recording. Our researchers will conduct detailed observations in different corners of the community, recording residents' daily interactions, space usage habits, etc.; the second is questionnaire surveys and interviews. We will design some targeted questions to gain an in-depth understanding of residents' feelings and expectations about community life and the meaning behind the traditional customs they follow; the other is data modeling and analysis, converting the collected information into a data model so that we can more intuitively see the application potential of traditional community wisdom in modern urban planning." During the questionnaire survey, a researcher said to resident Xiao Li, "Xiao Li, what do you think best reflects the spirit of mutual assistance in the Siheyuan community?" Xiao Li thought for a moment and replied, "I think it is when everyone works together when encountering difficulties. Just like last time a family had a burst water pipe, the neighbors took the initiative to help, some found tools, and some contacted repairmen, and the problem was quickly solved. This kind of thing is very common here, and no one will stand idly by." As the research deepened, the expert team found that the traditional greening model of Siheyuan communities is also extremely valuable. A garden expert said to the person in charge of community greening: "The distribution of green plants in your community is very unique. There are not only ornamental plants, but also many medicinal and edible plants. This layout not only beautifies the environment, but also can achieve self-sufficiency to a certain extent. We want to study how to promote this model to the construction of public greening in modern cities, such as rationally planting some plants with both ornamental and practical value in urban parks, street green spaces and other places, so as to improve the comprehensive benefits of urban greening." The person in charge of greening responded: "These plants were selected and planted by our ancestors according to the local climate and living needs. We usually organize residents to take care of these green plants together, which is also a manifestation of community cohesion. If it can be promoted, that would of course be great." During the research process, the issue of the integration of community cultural heritage and modern education was also involved. An education expert said to the principal of the community school: "The rich cultural heritage of the Siheyuan community can become an important resource for school education. We can develop some school-based courses to let children learn about Siheyuan architecture, traditional etiquette, folk culture, etc. in class, and organize field teaching activities to let them experience the charm of community culture firsthand. This will not only pass on traditional culture, but also cultivate children's love for the community and hometown." The principal agreed: "Our school has been exploring how to integrate community culture into the education system. With your professional guidance, I believe we can develop more high-quality courses. For example, we can invite old artists in the community to come to school to teach children traditional handicrafts, or organize students to participate in the planning and performance of community cultural festivals." When the research project was coming to an end, the research institute organized an international seminar and invited urban planners, community development experts, government officials, etc. from all over the world to participate. At the seminar, representatives of the Siheyuan community shared their research results and practical experience with everyone. After listening to the sharing, an urban planner from Europe said: "The model of the Siheyuan community has shown me new possibilities for the combination of tradition and modernity. In our European urban communities, although we also focus on the creation of public spaces, we lack this kind of in-depth neighborhood mutual assistance and cultural inheritance mechanism. I think we can learn from the experience of the Siheyuan community, redesign the community's social space and cultural activities, and promote exchanges and cooperation among residents." An Asian government official also said: "This research is very inspiring for our country's urban renewal plan. We have been thinking about how to preserve traditional culture and community characteristics in the process of urban development. The successful case of the Siheyuan community provides us with valuable reference. We can encourage more communities to participate in similar explorations and create livable cities with local characteristics." Through this international cooperative research, the Siheyuan has once again stood at the forefront of global urban development research. Its traditional wisdom has made unique contributions to the improvement of the livability and sustainable development of modern cities, continuing to write a glorious chapter and becoming a model for the integration of tradition and modernity in global urban community construction, constantly inspiring more cities and communities to cherish tradition and innovate the future in the process of development.

"Siheyuan Storm" After the research results of the "Traditional Community Wisdom and Modern Urban Livability" project attracted widespread attention, the Siheyuan community welcomed a large number of visitors and learners. In order to better display the Siheyuan culture and the results of community construction, and to further promote cultural exchanges and cooperation, the Siheyuan community decided to hold a "Siheyuan Cultural Festival and International Community Exchange Event". Members of the community preparatory committee gathered together to discuss various matters of the cultural festival. The director of the committee said: "This cultural festival is of great significance. We will not only show the architectural beauty and folk customs of the Siheyuan to domestic and foreign guests, but also share our experience in community construction and cultural inheritance and innovation through various interactive activities and forums. For example, we can set up a Siheyuan architectural model building competition to let participants experience the exquisite structure of the Siheyuan firsthand; hold traditional folk art performances, such as dragon and lion dances, acrobatics, and opera, to show the charm of Chinese culture; in addition, hold cultural lectures and seminars, and invite domestic and foreign experts and scholars to discuss the integration of traditional communities and modern urban development." Resident Grandpa Wang suggested: "Can there be more activities for children to participate in the cultural festival? This will allow them to have a deep understanding of the Siheyuan culture from an early age and pass on our roots." Committee member Xiao Li responded: "Grandpa Wang's idea is very good. We can arrange activities such as children's paper-cutting competitions and Siheyuan story painting competitions to let children feel the uniqueness of Siheyuan culture in their creations. We can also organize a team of youth volunteers to let them participate in the service work of the cultural festival and learn and grow in practice." When preparing for the traditional folk art performance, Master Zhang, who was in charge of organizing the performance, said to the actors: "This performance is to showcase our cultural treasures to the world, and everyone must perform at their best. The dragon and lion dance teams must pay attention to the uniformity and strength of the movements to fully display the festive and joyful atmosphere; the opera actors must practice their singing and body movements to become more exquisite so that foreign friends can also appreciate the charm of Chinese opera." An opera actor asked: "Master Zhang, what if foreign audiences don't quite understand the content of the opera?" Master Zhang replied: "We will arrange a simple plot introduction and cultural background explanation before the performance, and use subtitles and other methods to assist the audience's understanding during the performance. At the same time, we can also invite some foreign friends to come on stage to participate in the interaction, such as letting them try on opera costumes and learn some simple opera movements, which can increase their interest and sense of participation." As the cultural festival approaches, various preparations are in full swing. At the preparation site for the building model building competition, a teacher said to the contestants: "It is not easy to build a Siheyuan building model. It involves a lot of knowledge about building structure and proportion. You can see that the layout of the main house, wing rooms and courtyard of this Siheyuan is strictly required. In the process of building, you should pay attention to details, such as the arrangement of tiles on the roof and the style of carvings on doors and windows. These are the key points that reflect the architectural characteristics of Siheyuan." The contestants nodded one after another. A young contestant said: "Teacher, I have visited Siheyuan before and was fascinated by its architectural style. I must play well in this competition and perfectly present the Siheyuan in my mind." When the cultural festival officially opened, the Siheyuan community was very lively. Community representatives, cultural enthusiasts and tourists from all over the world gathered together. At the cultural lecture and seminar, an internationally renowned community development expert gave a speech: "The success of the Siheyuan community lies in its ingenious balance between tradition and modernity, and between the individual and the collective. Its public space design promotes communication and cooperation among residents, and the inheritance of traditional culture gives the community a unique soul. Our other communities can learn from the Siheyuan community how to maintain their own characteristics in the wave of globalization and build a modern community with a sense of belonging and cohesion." During the interactive exchange session, a foreign community representative said to the resident representatives of the Siheyuan community: "Your community cultural festival is great! I saw the residents' love for culture and enthusiasm for community building. In our community, we also have some unique culture, but we have not done well in inheritance and promotion. How do you get residents to participate so actively in cultural inheritance?" The resident representative replied: "We have always attached importance to cultural education and the development of community activities. From children to the elderly, everyone has the opportunity to participate in various cultural activities. Moreover, we emphasize the sense of belonging and identity of the community, so that residents realize that they are the guardians and inheritors of Siheyuan culture. In the process of participation, everyone not only gained happiness, but also felt their own value." At the children's paper-cutting competition, the children were concentrating on cutting the colored paper in their hands. After a while, a series of beautiful paper-cutting works were born. A parent looked at his child's work and said proudly: "Through this competition, the child has a deeper understanding of Siheyuan culture, and has also exercised his hands-on ability and creativity. Such activities are really meaningful." The successful holding of the Siheyuan Cultural Festival and International Community Exchange Festival has further enhanced the international reputation and influence of the Siheyuan community, built a broader platform for the dissemination and exchange of traditional Siheyuan culture on a global scale, and provided valuable experience and reference for other communities in cultural inheritance, community construction, international exchanges, etc., continuing to write the glorious chapter of cultural exchange and development of Siheyuan communities in the new era, and inspiring more people to devote themselves to the great cause of integrating tradition with modernity and connecting local with international standards.

"Siheyuan Storm" After the "Siheyuan Cultural Festival and International Community Exchange Festival" came to a successful conclusion, the residents of the Siheyuan community did not stop moving forward. They began to think about how to transform the cultural enthusiasm and international attention aroused during the cultural festival into a long-term and sustainable community development momentum. As a result, a new plan, the "Siheyuan Cultural and Creative Industry Incubation Center", came into being. At the preparatory meeting of the incubation center, community entrepreneurship mentor Mr. Li explained the vision of this plan to everyone: "Our incubation center aims to provide a cradle for growth for entrepreneurs who are creative and have ideas and are committed to combining Siheyuan culture with modern creative industries. Whether it is engaged in the design of cultural and creative products with Siheyuan cultural themes, the innovative development of traditional handicrafts, or tourism services and cultural education projects based on Siheyuan community life experience, you can get resource support, professional guidance and market promotion opportunities here." A young entrepreneur Xiao Wang asked with expectation: "Teacher Li, what specific resources can the incubation center provide us? I am engaged in the production of handicrafts with Siheyuan cultural themes. I have always wanted to expand the scale, but I lack funds and venues." Teacher Li smiled and replied: "For entrepreneurs like you, we will first provide relatively favorable office space and production workshop rental services to reduce your entrepreneurial cost pressure. In terms of funding, we will actively connect with various investment institutions, government entrepreneurship support funds, etc., to help you obtain start-up funds and subsequent development funds. At the same time, we also have a professional team of experts in cultural and creative design, marketing, and corporate management. They will regularly provide you with training courses and one-on-one entrepreneurial counseling, and give you all-round guidance from the innovation of product design, the accuracy of market positioning, to the effectiveness of brand promotion and other aspects." During the guidance process of cultural and creative product design, an expert said to an entrepreneur who was engaged in the design of accessories with architectural elements of Siheyuan: "Your design idea is very good. It is very creative to incorporate Siheyuan's door knockers, window lattices and other elements into the accessories. But the choice of materials can be more diversified. For example, in addition to metal materials, you can try to combine some natural gems, woods, etc., which can not only enrich the texture of the product, but also better reflect the concept of harmonious coexistence of Siheyuan culture and nature. Moreover, in the design of product packaging, the cultural characteristics of Siheyuan should also be highlighted. Traditional paper packaging can be used, printed with Siheyuan patterns, poems, etc., to enhance the cultural added value of the product." After listening, the entrepreneur was deeply inspired: "You are so right. I did ignore the importance of materials and packaging before. I will make improvements according to your suggestions and strive to make the product more competitive in the market." With the gradual operation of the incubation center, some tourism service entrepreneurial projects have also begun to emerge. An entrepreneur who is engaged in the development of Siheyuan in-depth tour projects said to the community tourism resource coordinator: "I want to add some more interactive and experiential links to the tour route, such as allowing tourists to participate in the production process of Siheyuan traditional food, or learn some simple traditional handicrafts. But I still need some help in purchasing ingredients and hiring craftsmen." The coordinator replied: "That's no problem. There are many residents in our community who are good at traditional food making. We can help you contact them and let them provide teaching services to tourists and ensure that the ingredients are fresh and authentic. For craftsmen, we also have a relevant resource library and can recommend suitable candidates according to your needs. In addition, we can also assist you in cooperating with surrounding hotels, homestays and other tourism supporting facilities to provide tourists with a one-stop tourism service experience." In terms of cultural and educational projects, an entrepreneur who is committed to developing Siheyuan cultural parent-child education courses said to education experts: "I want to design some course activities that are both interesting and allow children to learn knowledge, such as Siheyuan architectural model building competitions, traditional folk story role-playing, etc. Do you think such course design is reasonable?" After thinking for a moment, the expert said: "The overall idea is very good, but in the implementation of the course, we must pay attention to safety issues, especially in the construction of architectural models, to ensure that the tools and materials used will not cause harm to children. In addition, we can increase the depth of cultural knowledge explanation. For example, after role-playing folk stories, let the children understand the historical and cultural background, social values ​​​​behind the story, so that children can better understand the connotation of Siheyuan culture." When the first batch of entrepreneurial projects cultivated in the incubation center gradually entered the market and received a good response, it attracted widespread attention from all walks of life. After visiting the incubation center, the head of a large cultural enterprise said to Teacher Li: "Your incubation center is really a treasure trove. It has cultivated so many potential Siheyuan cultural and creative industry projects. Our company intends to cooperate deeply with some projects to jointly build the industrial chain of Siheyuan cultural and creative industries. For example, we can incorporate some excellent cultural and creative products into our sales channels and promote them to the national and even global markets; cooperate with tourism service projects to develop special cultural tourism packages, etc." Teacher Li said happily: "This is great, we very much welcome the participation of enterprises. This can provide our entrepreneurs with a broader development space and further enhance the influence and competitiveness of Siheyuan cultural and creative industries." The successful operation of the Siheyuan Cultural and Creative Industry Incubation Center has injected strong impetus into the sustainable development of the Siheyuan community. It has not only created more employment opportunities and economic benefits, but also made Siheyuan culture shine with new vitality in the wave of modern creative industries, continuing the glorious chapter of Siheyuan communities in cultural inheritance, innovative development, economic prosperity and other aspects, becoming a successful model for traditional communities to achieve transformation and development in the new era, attracting more communities and regions to come and learn and explore new paths for the integrated development of traditional culture and modern industries.