Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

# Rebirth of Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 32) The success of the North-South Cultural Exchange Exhibition has made Siheyuan a popular place for cultural exchange. He Luo and Lin Yue struck while the iron was hot and began to plan their next cultural expansion trip. This time, they set their sights on the west, hoping to cooperate with ancient towns or villages in the west with unique folk culture. He Luo and Lin Yue were discussing new cooperation directions in the office. He Luo held a map and said, "There are many ethnic minority settlements in the west, with rich and diverse folk cultures, such as the silver jewelry culture of the Miao people, the thangka art of the Tibetan people, and the Torch Festival customs of the Yi people. We can carry out in-depth cooperation with one of these places." Lin Yue nodded in agreement: "Yes, we can first contact some local cultural institutions to understand their willingness to cooperate and the local cultural highlights." After asking around, they contacted a village famous for Tibetan culture. In a telephone conversation with the village chief, He Luo expressed his intention to cooperate: "Hello, village chief, we are the Siheyuan Cultural Center. We have successfully held a cultural exchange exhibition between the north and the south. Now we hope to carry out cultural exchange cooperation with your village to showcase Tibetan culture and Siheyuan culture and learn from each other." The village chief responded enthusiastically: "This is a good thing! Our Tibetan culture has a long history. Thangka, Tibetan carpets, highland barley wine culture, etc. are very distinctive. We also hope to spread these cultures and let more people know about them." After confirming the cooperation, the two sides began to prepare for a new cultural exchange project. On the Siheyuan side, they invited Tibetan cultural experts to guide the preparations. Tibetan culture expert Tashi said to He Luo and Lin Yue: "To showcase Tibetan culture, the display of thangka is essential. Thangka is a unique form of painting art in Tibetan culture, and each thangka contains profound religious and cultural significance. We need to carefully select some representative thangka works, and prepare detailed introduction materials, including the painting techniques of thangka, the meaning of the subject matter, etc." Lin Yue asked: "Then which area of ​​the courtyard is more suitable for us to display thangka? We need to consider the protection of thangka by light and environment." Tashi replied: "You can choose a quieter and softer room in the courtyard. It is best to avoid direct sunlight, so as to protect the color and texture of the thangka. At the same time, the temperature and humidity of the room must be controlled within an appropriate range." He Luo asked again: "In addition to thangka, Tibetan carpets are also an important representative of Tibetan culture. How do we display them?" Tashi suggested: "We can build a small Tibetan carpet display area in the courtyard of the Siheyuan, spread Tibetan carpets with different patterns and craftsmanship on the ground or hang them on racks, so that tourists can appreciate and touch them up close and feel the texture and craftsmanship of the Tibetan carpets." In preparing the content of the Siheyuan cultural display, the folklorist once again emphasized the uniqueness of the Siheyuan architectural culture. The folklorist said: "For Tibetan friends, we can focus on displaying the architectural structure and building materials of the Siheyuan. For example, the mortise and tenon structure of the Siheyuan is the essence of traditional Chinese architectural skills. We can use models and real objects to show them to let them understand this magical craft that makes the building extremely strong without nails." During the preparation process, the Siheyuan sent staff to Tibetan villages to collect information and learn about local culture. After seeing the exquisite Tibetan costumes in the village, staff member Xiao Li said to the village chief: "Village chief, these costumes are so beautiful! We want to display some Tibetan costumes in the courtyard. Can you introduce their characteristics to us?" The village chief smiled and said: "Our Tibetan costumes are colorful and exquisitely patterned. Different regions and occasions have different styles. For example, this bridal dress, the embroidery and accessories on it are very exquisite, and each pattern has auspicious meanings." After returning to the courtyard, Xiao Li reported the situation in detail to He Luo and Lin Yue, and brought some samples and information of Tibetan costumes. Lin Yue looked at these exquisite costumes and said: "We must design the display method well so that tourists can appreciate the beauty of these costumes in all directions. We can make some model dolls wearing costumes to show the matching and wearing effects of different costumes." After intense preparations, the cultural exchange activities between the courtyard and the Tibetan village kicked off. At the opening ceremony, Tibetan song and dance performances attracted many tourists. A tourist said excitedly: "These songs and dances are so lively! It feels like we are brought to the vast grassland." In the thangka display area, tourists were shocked by the exquisite thangkas. An art lover exclaimed: "The colors and details of these thangkas are simply amazing, and every stroke is full of spirituality." In the Tibetan carpet display area, tourists touched the soft Tibetan carpets and felt the unique craftsmanship. In the courtyard culture display area, Tibetan friends showed great interest in the mortise and tenon structure model of the courtyard. A Tibetan craftsman said to He Luo: "This mortise and tenon structure is really amazing. Our Tibetan architecture also has its own skills. We can learn from each other." This cultural exchange activity not only made the culture of the courtyard more colorful, but also promoted cultural exchanges and integration among different ethnic groups. He Luo and Lin Yue looked at the lively scene, and their hearts were full of expectations for more cultural exchange activities in the future. They knew that there were more cultural treasures waiting to be discovered and shared.

# Rebirth of Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 33) The successful holding of the Tibetan cultural exchange activities has made the cultural picture of Siheyuan more colorful. He Luo and Lin Yue were immersed in joy, but they did not slack off at all and soon invested in new thinking and planning. This time, they planned to turn their attention to coastal areas and cooperate with fishing villages with unique marine culture. In the office of Siheyuan, He Luo and Lin Yue sat together with the management team to discuss new cooperation directions. He Luo spoke first: "Coastal fishing villages have rich marine culture, such as Mazu beliefs, traditional fishing skills, unique marine folk customs, etc. We can cooperate with them to create a feast of exchange where marine culture and Siheyuan culture complement each other." Lin Yue continued: "Yes, we can first go to some representative fishing villages in coastal areas to investigate their cultural characteristics and local wishes. At the same time, we also have to think about how to vividly display marine cultural elements in the limited space of Siheyuan." Soon after, He Luo and Lin Yue led the team to an ancient coastal fishing village. They had an in-depth exchange with the village chief and several elders. He Luo said sincerely: "Village chief, our Siheyuan has always been committed to cultural exchange and inheritance. This time we come here in the hope of cooperating with our fishing village to bring your marine culture to Siheyuan so that more people can appreciate its charm." The village chief warmly welcomed them: "This is a great thing! The culture of our fishing village is very profound. Mazu is our belief, blessing us to go to sea safely. There are also our fishermen's songs and fish lantern dances, which are all passed down from generation to generation." An elder added: "We must not forget our traditional fishing skills, such as fish weaving and shell carving, which are all exquisite arts created by fishermen in their spare time at sea." After returning to Siheyuan, everyone immediately began to prepare for the marine cultural display. They invited marine cultural experts to guide the work. Professor Chen, an expert on marine culture, said to the staff: "Mazu culture is one of the cores of marine culture. We will set up a special Mazu culture display area in the courtyard. We can display the legends of Mazu, the architectural features of the Mazu Temple, and the relevant content of the Mazu sacrificial ceremony." Staff member Xiao Wang asked: "Professor Chen, how do we display the Mazu sacrificial ceremony? This requires some special props, right?" Professor Chen replied: "We can make some models of the instruments used in the sacrificial ceremony, such as incense burners, ceremonial guards, etc., and use multimedia to display videos of real sacrificial scenes to give tourists a more intuitive experience." In terms of the display of traditional fishing skills, Lin Yue had her own ideas: "We can invite craftsmen from the fishing village to the courtyard to demonstrate fish weaving and shell carving on site, and we can also set up some experience areas for tourists to try these skills in person." Xiao Zhang, who is responsible for contacting the craftsmen, said with some concern: "Sister Lin, these craftsmen are used to living in the fishing village. I wonder if they are willing to come to the courtyard to display for a long time?" Lin Yue said: "We must communicate well with them and respect their wishes. We can provide them with appropriate remuneration and comfortable living conditions so that they can feel our sincerity." When preparing the content of the Siheyuan cultural display, folklorists emphasized the contrast between the Siheyuan residential culture and the marine culture. Folklorists said: "The Siheyuan residential culture reflects the pursuit of family and stable life by inland residents. We can display the Siheyuan home furnishings, the daily routines of Siheyuan residents, etc., which are in sharp contrast with the life of fishermen. For example, the life of fishermen is closely related to the tides of the ocean and the fishing season, while the life of Siheyuan residents revolves around the rhythm of the city and traditional festivals." As the preparatory work progresses, the cultural exchange activities between Siheyuan and coastal fishing villages are gradually taking shape. On the day of the event, the Siheyuan was very lively. In the Mazu cultural display area, tourists were deeply attracted by the legend of Mazu. A tourist said with emotion: "It turns out that Mazu culture has such a profound connotation. These stories are really touching and reflect the fishermen's desire for peace." In the traditional skills display area of ​​fishermen, fish weaving artists are teaching tourists to weave fish-shaped ornaments. The artist patiently said to a tourist: "When weaving, pay attention to the shape of the fish. Tighten it here so that the fish will be more like it." In the shell carving area, a young tourist said to the artist who was carving: "Master, your carving is so delicate. This shell seems to have life in your hands." In the Siheyuan Living Culture Exhibition Area, coastal fishermen looked at the home furnishings of the Siheyuan with curiosity. A fisherman smiled and said: "Your life in the Siheyuan is really interesting. It is completely different from our life on the fishing boat and in the fishing village." This cultural exchange activity has once again achieved great success. Different cultures collide and merge here, bringing a brand new experience to tourists. He Luo and Lin Yue stood in the lively courtyard, looking at the happy crowd, and they had more visions for the future development of the Siheyuan. They knew that the cultural journey would never end, and there would be more wonderful things waiting for them to create.

# Rebirth of Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 34) After the cultural exchange activities between the coastal fishing village and the Siheyuan were successfully completed, the Siheyuan seemed to be injected with new vitality. Tourists praised the experience of this multicultural collision, and He Luo and Lin Yue also gained new inspiration from this event. They decided to start a new project - to establish a cultural heritage volunteer team. He Luo and Lin Yue told this idea to the Siheyuan management team and some cultural enthusiasts who often participate in activities. He Luo said in the conference room: "This cooperation with the coastal fishing village has shown us the great charm of cultural exchange, but we also realize that cultural inheritance is not enough on our own. I want to set up a cultural inheritance volunteer team to allow more people to participate in the promotion and protection of Siheyuan culture and our cultural exchange activities with various places." Lao Zhang from the management team asked: "This is a good idea, but how do we recruit volunteers? How do we manage and train them?" Lin Yue replied: "We can post recruitment information on the official website and social media platform of Siheyuan, and we can also cooperate with surrounding schools and communities to encourage more people to join. For the training of volunteers, we can develop a systematic course, including Siheyuan cultural knowledge, explanation skills, cultural protection awareness and other contents." A cultural enthusiast Xiao Wang raised his hand and said: "I think we can also set up different types of volunteer positions, such as explanation volunteers, event organization volunteers, cultural information sorting volunteers, etc., so that volunteers can give full play to their respective strengths." Everyone thought this suggestion was good, so they began to prepare for recruitment and training. In the process of recruiting volunteers, applications were received from all walks of life. When interviewing volunteers, He Luo asked a young college student: "Why do you want to be a volunteer for our Siheyuan cultural heritage?" College student Xiao Li replied: "I have always been interested in traditional culture. Siheyuan is a treasure of traditional culture. I hope that through my actions, more young people like me can understand and love the culture here. I also like to communicate with different people. Explanation work will be a good challenge for me." Another retired teacher, Teacher Zhang, also came to apply: "I have worked in education for my whole life, and I want to continue to make use of my remaining energy after retirement. Siheyuan has such a profound cultural heritage. I can help organize the materials and pass on this knowledge to more people." After screening, the first batch of volunteers was successfully recruited. The next step is the intense training stage. In the training class, the folk expert was explaining the Siheyuan culture: "Siheyuan is not only a form of architecture, it also contains rich family culture and etiquette culture. For example, the main house of the Siheyuan is usually inhabited by the elders, which reflects the traditional concept of order of seniority..." During the training on explanation skills, Lin Yue said to the volunteers: "When explaining, pay attention to eye contact with tourists, and the language should be vivid and interesting. You can appropriately insert some small stories, such as interesting things that have happened in the Siheyuan, so as to better attract the attention of tourists." In the cultural protection awareness training session, He Luo said to the volunteers seriously: "We protect the Siheyuan culture, not only to protect these buildings and exhibits, but also to pass on cultural connotations. When guiding tourists, you must remind them to protect the environment, not to destroy the plants and trees here, and respect every detail of the cultural display." As the volunteer team gradually took shape, they began to participate in the daily operations and cultural activities of the Siheyuan. During a routine tour of a Siheyuan, volunteer Xiao Zhao was introducing to tourists: "Look, the carvings on this door are very beautiful, and the patterns on it symbolize good luck. These carvings are the fruits of the painstaking efforts of ancient craftsmen. We must appreciate and protect them." The tourists listened with great interest. One tourist asked: "How were these patterns carved out?" Xiao Zhao replied: "This is the craftsmen who used special tools, carefully designed and carved. They may have spent a long time to complete the carving of such a door." In the process of preparing for a new cultural event, the event organizing volunteers were very busy. Volunteer Xiao Sun said to his companion: "The props for this event should be placed in the right place. We must arrange them according to the flow of the event, and we can't mess them up." Volunteers who sorted out cultural materials are also working hard. Retired teacher Zhang said to young volunteer Xiao Liu: "When we sort out these materials, we must classify them clearly so that it will be convenient for us to query and use them later. You see, these materials about the historical changes of the Siheyuan can be put together." With the addition of the volunteer team, the cultural inheritance and development of the Siheyuan are smoother. But at the same time, some new problems also emerged. For example, the communication and coordination between volunteers was sometimes not smooth enough, which affected the work efficiency. He Luo and Lin Yue convened a meeting of volunteers again to discuss how to solve these problems. He Luo said: "We need to establish a more effective communication mechanism, such as creating a communication group dedicated to volunteers to release work information and notices in a timely manner. At the same time, before large-scale events, we need to add a centralized communication meeting to ensure that everyone is clear about their tasks and responsibilities." The volunteers responded positively, put forward their own suggestions, and jointly made suggestions for the improvement of the Siheyuan cultural heritage volunteer team. With the joint efforts of everyone, Siheyuan continues to move forward on a broader path of cultural development, and every step is full of hope and vitality.