Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

# Rebirth of Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 35) After solving the communication and coordination problems of volunteers, the cultural heritage work of Siheyuan was carried out more and more orderly with the help of the volunteer team. However, as the influence of Siheyuan continued to expand, the number of tourists continued to rise, and the demand for surrounding supporting facilities also increased. He Luo and Lin Yue sat together with the management team and volunteer representatives again to discuss countermeasures. He Luo looked at everyone and said seriously, "Now there are more and more tourists in our Siheyuan. Although there are some restaurants and accommodations in the surrounding area, they are far from meeting the demand, and the quality is uneven. We have to find a way to improve this situation." Volunteer representative Xiao Wang proposed, "We can unify the standards and guidance of existing catering and accommodation places in the surrounding area to help them improve their service quality and highlight the characteristics of Siheyuan." Lin Yue nodded in agreement, "This is a good direction. We can formulate some standards, such as requiring catering places to launch dishes with the flavor of old Beijing and the cultural characteristics of Siheyuan, and accommodation places can incorporate Siheyuan elements in the room layout." Lao Zhang from the management team was a little worried, "But this may involve the operating costs of the merchants. Will they cooperate?" After thinking for a moment, He Luo said, "We can communicate with the merchants and explain to them the benefits of doing so. For example, we can recommend merchants that meet the standards in the Siheyuan's promotional materials, and we can also provide them with some joint promotion opportunities to increase their visibility and customer flow." So, He Luo, Lin Yue and the volunteers began to visit the surrounding catering and accommodation businesses. In a snack bar, He Luo said to the owner, "Boss, your snacks taste very good, but we would like to discuss with you whether you can add some old Beijing characteristics to the dishes, such as traditional snacks such as douzhi and jiaoquan? This will be more in line with the cultural atmosphere of the Siheyuan." The owner hesitated: "These snacks are troublesome to make, and I don't know if the guests will like them?" Volunteer Xiao Wang smiled and said, "Boss, many tourists who come to Siheyuan now want to taste the authentic Beijing flavor. As long as you make it authentic, it will definitely be popular. We can provide you with some production methods and promotional suggestions." In a hotel, Lin Yue said to the boss, "Your hotel is in a good location, but the room layout can be more distinctive. For example, you can hang some old photos of Siheyuan in the room, or use some bed sheets and quilts with traditional patterns." The boss replied, "That's a good idea, but won't the cost be very high?" Lin Yue explained: "The cost will not increase too much, and we at Siheyuan can recommend you here first when tourists inquire about accommodation, so your business will definitely be better." After a period of communication and coordination, most businesses were willing to cooperate with the transformation. However, new problems emerged during the implementation process. Some businesses encountered unstable supply of raw materials when making special dishes. A restaurant owner complained to He Luo: "It's hard to find the raw materials for this bean juice, and the price fluctuates greatly. What can I do?" He Luo immediately contacted some agricultural product suppliers and negotiated with them on the issue of stable supply of old Beijing special ingredients. He Luo said to the supplier: "The merchants around our Siheyuan need a stable supply of special ingredients. Can you guarantee the stability of quality and price?" The supplier replied: "We can try to coordinate, but some ingredients may fluctuate due to the season and production." He Luo said: "Then we can establish a reserve mechanism to reserve more during the peak season. At the same time, we can also explore some alternative ingredients or improve the production methods to ensure the supply of dishes." In terms of accommodation, some hotels have a deviation in their understanding of Siheyuan elements when arranging rooms. When Lin Yue was checking a hotel room, he said to the owner: "The photos in your room are not suitable. These photos do not reflect the cultural connotation of the Siheyuan. We can give you some suggestions, such as choosing some photos showing traditional festivals or details of ancient buildings in the Siheyuan." With the gradual improvement of surrounding catering and accommodation facilities, tourists' experience is getting better and better. After tasting the improved snacks, a tourist said to his companion: "This bean juice is really authentic, and this Jiaoquan is crispy and delicious, which matches the atmosphere of this Siheyuan." A tourist staying in a special hotel also praised: "This room is decorated very warmly, and these old photos of the Siheyuan make me feel more aware of the culture here." But He Luo and Lin Yue did not stop there. They realized that with the diversification of tourists, they also needed to provide more personalized services for tourists. He Luo said to Lin Yue, "We can provide tourists with some customized cultural experience packages, such as Siheyuan photography tours for photography enthusiasts, or in-depth explanations of Siheyuan history for tourists who like historical research." Lin Yue's eyes lit up: "This is a good idea. We can let volunteers design these packages according to different interests and hobbies to meet the personalized needs of tourists." Thus, Siheyuan opened a new chapter, providing tourists with more rich, diverse and personalized cultural experiences, and the volunteer team played an increasingly important role in it. The cultural charm of Siheyuan is also constantly expanding and deepening.

# Rebirth in the Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued Thirty-six)

After deciding to launch the personalized cultural experience package, He Luo, Lin Yue and the volunteers took immediate action. They set up a special information desk in the visitor center of the courtyard to collect information on tourists' interests and promote new experience packages.

When volunteer Xiao Zhao was on duty at the information desk, he met a tourist who asked: "I am a photography enthusiast. I heard that you have a new experience package. Is there one suitable for me?"

Xiao Zhao answered enthusiastically: "Yes, we have a Siheyuan photography tour package designed specifically for photography enthusiasts. We will arrange professional tour guides to take you to the best photography spots in the Siheyuan, where you can capture the beauty of the Siheyuan from different angles, whether it is architectural details, light and shadow changes or folk activities, it can meet your photography needs. In addition, we will also have special explanations to tell you the historical and cultural stories behind these scenes, so that you can take more meaningful photos."

The tourist excitedly said: "That sounds great! Are there any special photography suggestions or restrictions?"

Xiao Zhao smiled and said: "We recommend that you shoot in the early morning or evening, when the light is softer and can create a more artistic effect. As for restrictions, as long as you do not damage the architecture and environment of the courtyard, it will be fine."

On the other side, volunteer Xiao Qian was communicating with several tourists who were interested in historical research.

Xiao Qian introduced: "For tourists who like historical research, we have designed a package of in-depth explanations of the history of Siheyuan. We have invited senior folklorists and historians who will take you to learn in depth about every important stage of the Siheyuan from its origin to its development, including the evolution of architectural style and the inheritance of family culture. You can also visit some reference rooms that are not usually open to the public, which contain precious historical documents and research materials."

A tourist asked curiously: "What kind of information is in these information rooms?"

Xiao Qian replied: "There are family trees of Siheyuan families, ancient architectural drawings, and poems and notes about Siheyuan written by literati and scholars. These are all very valuable first-hand materials that can help you understand the historical details of Siheyuan more comprehensively."

With the promotion of personalized experience packages, more and more tourists have chosen packages that suit them. However, some challenges have also been encountered during the implementation process.

For the photography tour package, some of the best photography spots were overcrowded because photography enthusiasts concentrated on taking photos at certain times. One photography enthusiast complained to He Luo: "There are too many people. I can't compose and take photos properly."

After discussing with the management team, He Luo decided to optimize the itinerary of the photography tour. They added some new photography spots and made more reasonable arrangements for tourists' shooting time, adopting a method of taking turns to shoot in batches.

He Luo told the photography guides: "We need to ensure that every tourist has enough time and space to take photos, and that new photography spots are prepared in advance to ensure that the light and environment there are suitable for photography."

Regarding the in-depth explanation package of Siheyuan’s history, some tourists felt that the explanation was too profound and difficult to understand.

A tourist said to the historian in charge of the explanation: "Teacher, I don't quite understand some of the professional terms you mentioned. Can you explain them in a more popular way?"

After realizing this problem, the historian adjusted the content of his lectures, and used more examples and metaphors to explain complex historical concepts in his subsequent lectures.

The historian said: "We can compare the Siheyuan to a photo album of a large family. Every architectural detail and every cultural custom is a photo in the album, recording the story of this family. And now we are interpreting the stories behind these photos."

At the same time, in order to meet the needs of more types of tourists, volunteers have designed new experience packages, such as the "Siheyuan Parent-Child Cultural Experience Package" for parent-child families, which includes traditional game experience, parent-child handicrafts and other projects.

When introducing the package to the parent-child families, volunteer Xiao Sun said: "In this package, children can play traditional games such as shuttlecock kicking and rubber band skipping with their parents, and can also make Siheyuan-themed puzzles and handicrafts together. These activities can not only strengthen the parent-child relationship, but also allow children to understand Siheyuan culture in a happy way."

One parent said with a smile: "This set meal is really good. The children will definitely like it."

With the continuous enrichment and improvement of personalized experience packages, Siheyuan has attracted more different types of tourists, and tourist satisfaction has also increased significantly. He Luo and Lin Yue looked at the lively and orderly Siheyuan, and their hearts were filled with satisfaction.

He Luo said to Lin Yue: "We must continue to explore the needs of tourists and constantly innovate experience packages to make Siheyuan a unique cultural sanctuary in the hearts of every tourist."

Lin Yue nodded and responded: "Yes, we also need to encourage volunteers to be more creative and make the cultural experience of the Siheyuan more colorful."

With the joint efforts of everyone, Siheyuan continues to flourish on the road of cultural heritage and tourism development, constantly writing new glories. Every new attempt and improvement is like a bright star, embellishing the development path of Siheyuan and making it more dazzling.

# Rebirth in the Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 37)

With the continuous promotion of personalized experience packages, the reputation of Siheyuan is booming, and tourists are flocking in. However, He Luo and Lin Yue know that in order to maintain this good development trend, they must continue to innovate and meet the increasingly diverse needs of tourists.

On this day, volunteers proposed a new idea at the discussion meeting: "We can launch a 'Siheyuan Romantic Tour' package for young couples. Nowadays, many couples like to find some unique and romantic places for dates. Siheyuan has a strong cultural atmosphere. We can create some romantic elements, such as setting up a couple's wishing wall in a specific area, or arranging a classical-style couple's dance party."

He Luo's eyes lit up after hearing this: "This idea is very creative! We can set up a warm wishing wall in the courtyard garden, and couples can write their blessings to each other on special cards and hang them on the wall. As for the dance party, it can be held in the open-air courtyard of the courtyard, decorated in a romantic and elegant way, accompanied by classical music, so that couples can experience a different kind of romance."

Lin Yue also agreed: "Yes, we can also set up some interactive sessions at the dance party, such as a couple dance competition. The winning couple can get a couple souvenir with Siheyuan characteristics, such as a pair of love locks engraved with Siheyuan patterns."

In the process of preparing the "Siheyuan Romantic Tour" package, they encountered some problems. When preparing the wishing wall, the staff said to Lin Yue: "Sister Lin, we have several designs for this wishing wall. One is a wooden structure, which looks more simple; one is a stone structure, which is more solemn; and the other is made of colored glass, which will be very romantic and dreamy. Which one do you think is better?"

Lin Yue thought for a moment and said, "The stained glass solution sounds good, but we need to pay attention to the color matching. It can't be too fancy and should be coordinated with the overall atmosphere of the courtyard. We can draw some patterns related to love and courtyard culture on the glass, such as lovebirds and intertwined branches."

Regarding the classical couple dance, Xiao Li, the volunteer in charge of music, said: "The choice of classical music is very important. We should choose some classic traditional pieces, but also consider the music preferences of modern couples. I think we can add some classical music with modern arrangements, so that it has both classical charm and is easy for couples to accept."

He Luo nodded and said, "Yes, you can compile a music list and we can discuss it together. There is also the issue of dance teaching for the dance party. We need to arrange a professional dance teacher to teach couples some simple classical dance moves."

When the "Siheyuan Romantic Tour" package was officially launched, it was warmly welcomed by young couples.

A couple was in front of the wishing wall. The boy said to the girl, "Dear, let's write our hopes for the future here. I hope our love can be like the courtyard, enduring the years but still eternally beautiful."

The girl smiled sweetly and nodded, and the two of them hung the written cards on the wishing wall.

At the Classical Couples Ball, couples wore elegant costumes and danced to the music.

A girl said to the boy: "This feeling is really wonderful, as if we have traveled back to ancient times and are at a grand court ball."

The boy smiled and replied: "Yes, this courtyard is really magical and makes our date so special."

With the success of this package, Siheyuan has ushered in new opportunities and challenges. Some wedding companies have approached He Luo and Lin Yue, hoping to cooperate with Siheyuan to hold traditional-style weddings here.

The person in charge of the wedding company said: "The cultural atmosphere of the Siheyuan is very suitable for holding a traditional wedding. We can combine the characteristics of the Siheyuan to create a unique wedding feast. For example, the bride can ride in a sedan chair to enter the gate of the Siheyuan and hold a wedding ceremony in the main room. The whole process is carried out according to traditional etiquette."

He Luo and Lin Yue thought this was a good development direction, and they planned the wedding details together with the wedding company.

Lin Yue told the planner of the wedding company: "The decoration of the wedding should highlight festive and traditional elements, such as using a lot of red silk and lanterns for decoration, and the design of the sedan chair should also be exquisite and gorgeous, reflecting the charm of old Beijing."

The planner of the wedding company responded: "We can also incorporate the cultural elements of Siheyuan into the wedding, such as printing the pattern of Siheyuan on the wedding invitation, and setting up some display boards showing the history and culture of Siheyuan at the wedding site, so that guests can learn about Siheyuan while attending the wedding."

In the process of preparing for the first traditional courtyard wedding, we encountered many problems. For example, the production process of the sedan chair was complicated and we needed to find professional craftsmen.

He Luo asked around and finally found an old craftsman. He Luo said to the old craftsman: "Master, you must help us make an exquisite sedan chair, which is of great significance to our traditional courtyard wedding."

The old craftsman smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have been making sedan chairs for my whole life, and I will definitely make the best one for you. However, this will take some time, and the materials must be carefully selected."

In addition, there are many traditional etiquette aspects in a wedding, which requires detailed training for the staff and the newlyweds.

Folklore experts told the newlyweds: "When you worship in the hall, you must pay attention to your movements and postures. First, you worship heaven and earth, then you worship your parents, and then the couple worship each other. Each movement has its own rules and should reflect solemnity and piety."

The newlyweds listened carefully and learned the etiquette movements from the folk experts.

After careful preparation, the first traditional Siheyuan wedding was held in grand style. The bride sat in a gorgeous sedan chair and was carried into the Siheyuan. The road was filled with the sound of gongs and drums. At the wedding, the guests were attracted by the traditional ceremony and the beautiful scenery of the Siheyuan.

A guest praised: "This wedding is so unique. It is so appropriate to hold it in a courtyard. Every detail is full of cultural heritage."

The successful holding of the traditional Siheyuan wedding has once again enhanced the popularity and influence of Siheyuan, attracted more people to experience and understand the Siheyuan culture, and opened up a new path for the development of Siheyuan. He Luo and Lin Yue continue to move forward on this hopeful path, writing the wonderful story of Siheyuan.