Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

# Rebirth of Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 56) All over the world, the actions of the international envoys of Siheyuan culture are like gusts of spring breeze, blowing open the flowers of Siheyuan culture. He Luo and Lin Yue were not idle either. They decided to further expand the international influence of Siheyuan culture, so they launched the "Siheyuan Culture International Friendly Community Co-construction Plan". He Luo explained in an online meeting with international partners: "We hope to select some communities around the world, establish friendly and cooperative relations with them, integrate the elements and concepts of Siheyuan culture into the construction and development of these communities, and create a number of international friendly communities with Siheyuan cultural characteristics." Lin Yue continued: "We can start from community planning, cultural activities, residents' exchanges and other aspects. For example, in community planning, we can learn from the spatial layout of Siheyuan to create more public communication spaces; in cultural activities, we can introduce the traditional festival celebration methods of Siheyuan to enhance the emotional connection between residents." Soon, this plan received positive responses from many international communities. In a small town community in the United States, John, the community leader, said to He Luo who came to inspect: "We are very interested in the culture of the Siheyuan, and hope to bring new vitality to our community through this co-construction plan. Our residents here are looking forward to experiencing the charm of different cultures." He Luo smiled and replied: "Then we can start with the transformation of the community's public space. You see, there are many courtyards in the Siheyuan, and these courtyards are important places for residents to communicate and interact. We can create similar small squares or gardens in the community, set up some benches, parasols and other facilities, so that residents can gather and chat." During the planning process, community residents also participated in the discussion. A resident said: "We hope that this new public space can have some artistic elements, such as the exquisite carvings in the Siheyuan." He Luo responded: "This is a good idea. We can set up some art walls with traditional Chinese carving styles around the square, and display some patterns representing the Siheyuan culture, such as dragons and phoenixes, plums, orchids, bamboos and chrysanthemums, etc., which can not only beautify the environment, but also spread culture." In an ancient urban community in Europe, community manager Elizabeth discussed the introduction of cultural activities with Lin Yue. Elizabeth said: "We hope to integrate the traditional festival celebrations of the courtyard into the festival system of our community, but we are worried that residents will not understand and accept it." Lin Yue suggested: "We can start with some simple and easy-to-understand activities, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival. We can hold a Mid-Autumn Festival moon-viewing party in the community, introduce the origin and customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival to residents, and make moon cakes and guess lantern riddles together. At the same time, display some pictures and items related to the Mid-Autumn Festival in the community's cultural center to give residents a more intuitive understanding." During the preparations for the Mid-Autumn Festival activities, a local resident asked: "Why do we eat moon cakes and guess lantern riddles on Mid-Autumn Festival? Do these activities have any special meaning?" Lin Yue explained: "Moon cakes symbolize reunion. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, a festival for family reunions, people eat moon cakes together, which symbolizes family happiness. Guessing lantern riddles is a traditional entertainment activity that can exercise intelligence and add a joyful atmosphere to the festival. These activities carry the Chinese people's yearning for a better life." On the night of the event, the community was filled with laughter. Residents tasted the mooncakes they made by themselves and actively participated in the lantern riddle guessing game. A child excitedly said to his parents: "This Mid-Autumn Festival activity is so interesting. I like guessing lantern riddles. Those riddles are so challenging." The parents smiled and replied: "Yes, this is a very special cultural experience. Let us feel the charm of different cultures." In a community in Asia, when they draw on the culture of Siheyuan to build the community, they pay more attention to the cultivation of neighborly relations. Community staff communicated with Siheyuan cultural experts: "We hope to establish a close neighborhood relationship like in Siheyuan. Here, although the residents get along well, there is a lack of in-depth communication and mutual assistance." Experts suggested: "We can establish community mutual assistance groups, just like family members in Siheyuan take care of each other. For example, some housewives can share cooking experiences and help each other take care of children; the elderly can form groups and carry out some leisure activities together. At the same time, community dinners are held regularly to let everyone enhance their feelings in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere." With the gradual implementation of the "Siheyuan Cultural International Friendly Community Co-construction Plan" in various countries and regions, more and more international communities have shown new vitality and cultural charm. These communities have become windows for displaying Siheyuan culture overseas, allowing more people to come into contact with and understand Siheyuan culture in their daily lives. He Luo and Lin Yue are very pleased to see these changes. They realize that this way of cultural co-construction not only spreads Siheyuan culture, but also promotes exchanges and cooperation between international communities, adding a unique cultural force to the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. They continue to maintain close communication with various international communities, constantly optimize the co-construction plan, and look forward to more surprises and gains.

# Rebirth of Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 57) The "Siheyuan Culture International Friendly Community Co-construction Plan" is being carried out in an orderly manner around the world. Each community is integrating Siheyuan cultural elements according to its own characteristics, showing a unique style. And He Luo and Lin Yue began to think about a new direction, how to make Siheyuan culture take root deeper in the international education system. They plan to carry out the "Siheyuan Culture International Education Cooperation Expansion Project", cooperate with more international schools and educational institutions, develop special Siheyuan cultural courses, and incorporate them into the international education curriculum system. He Luo met with the principal of an international school and introduced the project: "Principal, Siheyuan culture is extensive and profound. We hope to cooperate with your school to develop a set of Siheyuan cultural courses suitable for students of different ages. This will not only enrich students' knowledge system, but also promote cross-cultural understanding." The principal was very interested: "This is a very meaningful project. Our school has always attached importance to multicultural education. What is your course plan? The content should be different for students of different ages, right?" He Luo replied: "For lower grade students, we can design some interesting courses, such as introducing the basic concepts of Siheyuan through stories, nursery rhymes, and simple handicrafts, such as what a Siheyuan looks like and who lives in it. Children can build a Siheyuan model with colored paper and understand the architectural appearance characteristics of the Siheyuan in the process." "For senior students, the course content will be more in-depth. We will cover the history, cultural connotations, and architectural structure principles of Siheyuan. For example, we will explain how Siheyuan reflects the family system and social ethics of ancient China, and by analyzing the building materials and craftsmanship of Siheyuan, let students understand the ancient scientific and technological level and architectural wisdom. At the same time, we will set up some research-based learning topics to allow students to independently explore the connection between Siheyuan culture and modern life." During the course development process, the teachers in the education team had a heated discussion. A teacher said: "In the course of hand-made Siheyuan models, we must prepare detailed step-by-step instructions and take into account the differences in hands-on ability of different students. We can prepare some spare materials to prevent students from making mistakes during the production process." Another teacher in charge of the history and culture part proposed: "When explaining the history of Siheyuan, we must combine the ancient Chinese historical background to let students understand the social environment in which Siheyuan developed. We can introduce some historical stories, such as the interesting life of a celebrity in a Siheyuan, to increase the interest of the course." When discussing the promotion of the course with another international education institution, the other party raised some concerns. The head of the institution said: "We are worried that the content of these courses may be difficult for foreign students to understand, especially when it comes to some traditional Chinese cultural concepts. Moreover, how can we ensure that teachers can impart this knowledge accurately?" Lin Yue replied: "We will provide professional training for teachers, including Siheyuan cultural knowledge training and teaching method training. For some complex cultural concepts, we will adopt a comparative method and explain them with cultural elements that students are familiar with. For example, comparing the Siheyuan family concept with the Western family concept will make it easier for students to understand. At the same time, we will produce multilingual teaching materials, including common languages ​​such as English, French, and Spanish, to facilitate teacher teaching and student learning." When the first batch of Siheyuan cultural courses were piloted in some international schools, they were well received by students. In a lower grade course, the teacher held up a picture of a Siheyuan and asked the students: "Students, look at this Siheyuan, does it look like a big box with several small boxes inside?" A little boy smiled and answered: "Yes! Are these small boxes different rooms?" The teacher replied: "Yes! Siheyuan is composed of different rooms surrounding the courtyard in the middle. Now let's try to make a Siheyuan with colored paper." In a senior course, the teacher asked a question: "Students, the architecture of Siheyuan reflects the strict hierarchy system in ancient China. From which aspects of the Siheyuan can you see this hierarchy difference?" A girl answered: "I think it can be seen from the location of the rooms. The main room is usually occupied by the elders. It is located in the middle and is relatively tall. The wing rooms are occupied by the younger generations. This reflects the hierarchy difference." The teacher nodded and praised: "Very good! Does this hierarchy have any other impact on the architectural layout of the Siheyuan?" As the course progresses, some international schools have also organized Siheyuan cultural theme activities. In one activity, students participated in a Siheyuan cultural knowledge competition. The host asked, "What is the name of the gate that separates the inner and outer courtyards in a Siheyuan?" A student quickly answered, "It's called a hanging flower gate!" The host asked again, "What are the common meanings of the wood carvings in Siheyuan?" Another student answered, "Some symbolize good luck, such as bat patterns that represent good fortune, and crane patterns that symbolize longevity." The successful pilot of the "Siheyuan Culture International Education Cooperation and Expansion Project" has allowed more international schools and educational institutions to see the value of Siheyuan culture in the field of education. He Luo and Lin Yue received a large number of cooperation intentions, and they immediately invested in the subsequent course optimization and promotion, hoping that Siheyuan culture can bloom more brilliantly on the stage of international education and become an important cultural resource for cultivating talents with global vision and cross-cultural literacy.

# Rebirth of Siheyuan: Brilliant Life (Continued 58) With the successful implementation of the "Siheyuan Culture International Education Cooperation Expansion Project" in more and more international schools, He Luo and Lin Yue decided to build on their success and further deepen the project. They realized that in addition to enriching the course content and improving teaching methods, practical experience is crucial for students to understand Siheyuan culture. He Luo proposed at the team meeting: "We can organize international students to come to Siheyuan for field visits and practical activities, so that they can experience the charm of Siheyuan culture firsthand. For example, we can carry out the 'Siheyuan Culture International Student Practice Camp', so that students can participate in the renovation and folk activities of Siheyuan, communicate with local residents, and truly integrate into Siheyuan life." Lin Yue added: "This is a good idea. We can coordinate with the school to arrange different batches of students to come. In the practice camp, in addition to arranging traditional architectural restoration and folk experience courses, we can also set up some cultural exploration tasks, such as asking students to interview old residents of Siheyuan, understand the historical changes and family stories of Siheyuan, and then compile them into reports." In the process of preparing for the practice camp, they communicated closely with the international schools participating in the project. The school's leading teacher asked with some concern: "These students come from different countries and cultural backgrounds. They may not be able to adapt to the living habits and diet in the Siheyuan. How can we solve this problem?" He Luo replied: "We will prepare a variety of food options for students at the practice camp, including traditional Chinese food and some simple Western food. At the same time, we will arrange special life counselors to introduce Chinese living habits and etiquette to students and help them adapt as soon as possible." When the first batch of international students arrived at the Siheyuan Practice Camp, they were full of curiosity and excitement. At the opening ceremony, He Luo introduced to the students: "Welcome to the Siheyuan Practice Camp! Here, you will have an unforgettable time. You can treat this place as a paradise for cultural adventures, explore every corner of the Siheyuan, and understand the rich culture contained in it." In the architectural restoration course, experienced craftsmen guide students to repair the doors and windows of the Siheyuan. The craftsman said to a French student: "Look, the carved part of this door and window is damaged. We must first use a small chisel to carefully remove the damaged part, and then choose the right wood to repair it. When repairing, we must pay attention to the consistency of the texture of the carving with the original. This requires patience and carefulness." The French student carefully followed the master's instructions and said as he did it: "This is really challenging, but when I see the doors and windows gradually return to their original appearance with my efforts, I feel a sense of accomplishment." In the folk experience activities, students participated in the traditional wedding simulation of the Siheyuan. An American student played the role of the groom. He wore a traditional Chinese groom's outfit and smiled and said: "This suit is really beautiful, but these etiquettes are so complicated. I have to remember them well." The folk expert instructed: "The groom should kick the door of the sedan chair first, and then lead the bride with a red ribbon and cross the fire basin. This means exorcism and a prosperous married life." In the cultural exploration task, a group of students interviewed the old residents of the Siheyuan. A British student asked the old resident: "Grandpa, you have lived in the Siheyuan for so many years. What do you think is the biggest change in the Siheyuan?" The old resident replied: "I look at the Siheyuan. It used to be a lively place with a big family. Although it has changed a bit now, the friendship between neighbors has always been there. In the past, during the New Year and other festivals, the yard was full of laughter and children played in the yard. It is still very warm when I think about it now." The students carefully recorded the words of the old residents. They felt the profound heritage of the Siheyuan culture from these stories. During the practical camp, there were some unexpected surprises. An Italian student developed a strong interest in traditional Chinese calligraphy. In his free time, he learned from a local calligraphy teacher. He said to the teacher: "Teacher, I think Chinese calligraphy is amazing. These strokes are like dancing. I want to learn to write my name." The teacher smiled and taught him the pen-holding posture and stroke order: "Calligraphy is a treasure of our Chinese culture. It pays attention to artistic conception and charm. You see, each horizontal and vertical stroke has its charm." As the practical camp ended, the students had a deeper understanding of the Siheyuan culture. At the closing ceremony, a Spanish student shared his feelings: "This practice camp is one of the best experiences in my life. Siheyuan is no longer just pictures and words in books, it is alive and has stories. I have learned a lot here and made a lot of friends. I will bring Siheyuan culture back to my country and let more people know about it." The successful holding of the "Siheyuan Culture International Student Practice Camp" has added a strong touch to the "Siheyuan Culture International Education Cooperation Expansion Project". He Luo and Lin Yue received positive feedback from students and schools. They decided to carry out the practice camp for a long time and continuously improve the content and form, so that more international students have the opportunity to experience the charm of Siheyuan culture in person, and also contribute a unique strength to international cultural exchanges and education.