Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

"Siheyuan Storm" As the creative achievements of art school students continue to ferment on the Internet, the popularity of Siheyuan has skyrocketed, and the number of tourists has increased exponentially. This sudden popularity has brought both unlimited opportunities and many challenges. The increase in tourists has overwhelmed the limited reception facilities of Siheyuan. A tourist frowned and complained: "This courtyard is crowded with people. It's hard to find a place to sit. There are long queues in the public toilets. This experience is too bad." The residents realized the seriousness of the problem and held an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures. Xiao Ming spoke first: "We have to find a way to expand some reception facilities. For example, without destroying the overall layout of the Siheyuan, we can add some rest benches and parasols in the corners of the courtyard. In addition, we can see if we can renovate the toilets and add a few cubicles." Lao Li expressed his concerns: "But will the expansion of facilities affect the original style of the Siheyuan? We have to consider it carefully." At this time, an expert in ancient building restoration and planning was invited to give advice to everyone. After careful investigation, the expert said: "In fact, some concealed design solutions can be adopted. For example, the rest benches can be made of wooden materials that match the architectural style of the courtyard house, and they can be designed to be foldable or embedded. They can be put away when not in use and do not take up space. For the toilet renovation, some dead corners can be used, and the antique-style architectural appearance can be adopted, while the interior is equipped with modern sanitary facilities." The residents listened to the expert's advice, nodded in agreement, and immediately began to take action. During the construction process, the residents always supervised to ensure that every detail met the requirements. Lao Zhang, who was in charge of supervising the construction, said to the workers: "The color of this bench must be coordinated with the color of the courtyard, and it cannot be too dazzling. The tiles of this toilet must be made of the same material as the original one." The worker replied: "Uncle, don't worry, we will do it according to the requirements, and there will be no mistakes." At the same time, in order to better cope with the peak of tourists, the courtyard also decided to introduce an intelligent management system. A staff member of a technology company came to introduce: "This intelligent system can realize online appointment for visits, real-time monitoring of tourist flow, and intelligent guided tours. Tourists can make an appointment for the visit on their mobile phones in advance, so as to avoid a large number of tourists pouring in at the same time. Through traffic monitoring, we can timely understand the density of tourists in various areas of the courtyard so as to conduct reasonable guidance. The intelligent guided tour can provide tourists with detailed explanations of the Siheyuan culture and enhance the tourists' tour experience." Xiao Ming asked: "How to operate this intelligent guided tour? Will tourists find it too complicated?" The staff explained: "The operation is very simple. Tourists only need to scan the QR code to enter the guided tour interface, which has voice explanations and graphic introductions, and can also automatically switch the explanation content according to the location of the tourists." After the intelligent management system was launched, tourists expressed their appreciation. A tourist said while holding a mobile phone and listening to the guided tour: "This intelligent guided tour is so convenient. I can learn about the cultural knowledge here wherever I go, and the appointment for the visit allows me to avoid queuing at the door, which saves a lot of time." However, with the increase in tourists, the cultural inheritance of the Siheyuan is also facing new challenges. Some tourists only took a quick look during the visit and did not really have a deep understanding of the cultural connotation of the Siheyuan. In order to change this situation, Siheyuan organized a group of cultural volunteers to conduct in-depth cultural explanations and interactive experience activities for tourists in the courtyard. A cultural volunteer said to a group of tourists: "Look at the main house of this Siheyuan. It has the highest status in the family. It used to be where the elders lived. The furnishings and decorations here are strictly particular. For example, the paintings and couplets in the central hall contain beautiful wishes for the family. Now I would like to invite everyone to experience traditional calligraphy creation, write a couplet, and feel the charm of traditional culture." Tourists actively participated. A young man said when writing couplets: "It turns out that there is so much knowledge behind this calligraphy. I didn't know it before. This time I really learned a lot." Through these efforts, Siheyuan not only enhances the tourists' tour experience while coping with the peak of tourists, but also further strengthens the function of cultural inheritance and dissemination. It is like an ancient and vibrant pearl, constantly adapting to changes in the tide of the times, emitting a more dazzling light, and the residents are also in this process. More firmly guarding the unique charm and cultural soul of the Siheyuan, continuing to write the glorious chapter of the Siheyuan.

"Siheyuan Storm" After successfully solving a series of problems brought about by the peak of tourists, Siheyuan did not rest on its laurels, but actively sought new development opportunities to further enhance its cultural influence and social value. One day, a senior producer from the film and television industry heard the story of Siheyuan, was attracted by its unique cultural atmosphere and rich cultural heritage, and came to visit. The producer said to the residents: "Your Siheyuan is simply a natural filming location for film and television. Every corner here is full of storytelling and visual sense. I want to shoot a period drama with Siheyuan life as the background here, and show the traditional culture, neighborhood relations and changes of the times of Siheyuan to the audience." After hearing this, the residents were both excited and a little worried. Xiao Ming asked: "It is certainly a good thing to film here, but will it cause damage to the Siheyuan? And will it affect the normal life of our residents?" The producer quickly explained: "Don't worry, we will have a professional team responsible for the protection of the site. Before filming, we will conduct detailed assessments and protective measures for all areas that may be involved. And we will try our best to coordinate the shooting time to avoid the residents' rest time, so as not to cause too much interference to everyone's life." Lao Zhang continued: "The plot in the play must respect the history and culture of our Siheyuan, and cannot be made up." The producer nodded and said: "That's for sure. We will invite a professional screenwriter team to deeply understand the culture and history of the Siheyuan to ensure that the plot is true and meaningful. At the same time, we also hope to invite some residents to participate in the filming as extras, so that the series can be closer to real life." After some discussion, the residents finally agreed to the filming plan. During the preparation for the filming, the screenwriter team came to the Siheyuan and had in-depth exchanges with the residents. The screenwriter said to Lao Li, "Uncle, can you tell us some interesting stories about life in the courtyard houses in the past, such as the special customs during the Chinese New Year and any unforgettable stories between neighbors." Lao Li recalled, "During the Chinese New Year, it was very lively. People in the courtyard would clean up together and prepare New Year's goods. On New Year's Eve, everyone would set up a table in the courtyard and eat the New Year's Eve dinner together, while the children would set off firecrackers nearby. Also, if a family had difficulties, the neighbors would help each other. Once, Lao Zhao's son fell ill, and everyone in the courtyard was busy running around to raise money to hire a doctor." The screenwriter took notes carefully and said, "These materials are great, we will incorporate these plots into the script." After the filming began, the courtyard was filled with busy scenes. When the director was directing the filming of a scene about a neighborhood dispute, he said to the actors who played the residents: "Everyone should show the subtle emotion of being angry but not wanting to destroy the neighborhood relationship, and pay attention to the details of expressions and movements." A resident actor asked nervously: "Director, is it okay for me to act like this?" The director encouraged: "Not bad, very natural, just treat yourself as a member of the Siheyuan and act according to your usual feelings." During the filming process, although some minor problems were encountered, such as accidentally scraping the corner of the wall when the equipment was moved, it did not cause much impact due to the timely handling of the production team. As the filming progressed, this period drama gradually took shape. After the series was completed, the producer said to the residents: "If this series is broadcast, it will definitely let more people understand the charm of the Siheyuan, thanks to everyone's support and cooperation." Sure enough, after the series was broadcast, it caused a strong response in society. The audience was moved by the stories in the Siheyuan and expressed their desire to come to the Siheyuan in person to experience the unique cultural atmosphere. After watching the drama, an audience member left a message saying, "The neighborhood love in the Siheyuan is so touching, and the traditional culture there is also full of charm. I must go and see it in person." This craze has brought a new round of tourism peaks to the Siheyuan. Tourists come to the Siheyuan not only to visit the buildings, but also to find the scenes in the drama and feel the strong human touch. In order to meet the needs of tourists, the Siheyuan has further optimized the tourist routes and added cultural display areas related to the period drama, such as the exhibition of props in the drama and the restoration of the shooting scenes. When guiding tourists to visit the prop exhibition, Xiao Ming said: "Look, these props have been used in the play, and they truly reflect the life style of the Siheyuan in that era." The tourists looked at the exhibits curiously. One tourist said: "These things are so old-fashioned, as if they can take me back to that time." With the help of film and television, Siheyuan has once again achieved a win-win situation for cultural communication and tourism development. Its name has also been known to more people and has become a model of cultural inheritance and innovation. In the process, the residents have become vivid narrators and guardians of Siheyuan culture, continuing to write the legendary story of Siheyuan.

"Siheyuan Fengyun" With the popularity of the period drama, the popularity of Siheyuan is increasing day by day, and tourists are flocking in, bringing unprecedented popularity and business opportunities. However, how to find a perfect balance between commercial development and cultural heritage has become a new issue that residents need to solve urgently. A scholar engaged in cultural tourism research came to the Siheyuan. After an investigation, he said to the residents: "Siheyuan has now become a hot spot for cultural tourism, but excessive commercialization may erode its original cultural charm. I suggest that you create some in-depth cultural experience tour projects, for example, carry out the "Siheyuan Life One-Day Experience" activity, so that tourists can truly integrate into the life of the Siheyuan, rather than just a cursory visit." Xiao Ming's eyes lit up after hearing this: "This is a good idea, but how to implement it specifically?" The scholar smiled and replied: "You can let tourists participate in the daily housework of the Siheyuan, such as buying vegetables and cooking with the residents, learning traditional handicrafts, and even participating in some small repairs of the Siheyuan. Of course, these must be carried out under the guidance of professionals to ensure safety and quality. In this way, tourists can deeply experience the bits and pieces of Siheyuan life and feel the penetration of traditional culture in daily life." The residents agreed and began to prepare. In the process of preparing for the event, many problems were also encountered. For example, some residents were worried that tourists would not be accustomed to the relatively simple living conditions of the Siheyuan. Lao Zhang asked: "Our courtyard house does not have the comfortable facilities like a hotel. Will tourists be able to accept it?" In response, Xiao Ming explained: "We can tell tourists clearly in the introduction of the activity so that they can be mentally prepared. Moreover, this is itself an experience of traditional life. If it is too comfortable and luxurious, it will lose its meaning. We can try our best to restore the most authentic living conditions of the courtyard house while ensuring basic hygiene and safety." After the event was officially launched, it was welcomed by many tourists. A tourist who participated in the experience said excitedly: "I have never had such an experience. I followed the aunt to the vegetable market to buy vegetables, listened to her talk about how to choose fresh ingredients, and cooked together after returning. I felt like a part of the Siheyuan. This way of traveling that integrates into local life is great!" When the tourists participated in cooking, the resident Aunt Wang who was in charge of guidance said: "Girl, there are some particulars in making dumplings. The stuffing should not be too full or too little, and the skin should be rolled thick in the middle and thin on both sides. Only in this way can the dumplings be delicious and beautiful." The tourist learned seriously and responded: "Aunt Wang, it turns out that there are so many things to know about making dumplings. I will show my skills to my family when I go back." With the development of the in-depth cultural experience tour project, the tourism income of the Siheyuan has increased significantly. With the support of funds, residents began to consider some protective repairs and cultural facilities construction for the Siheyuan. They invited a professional ancient building repair team to discuss the repair plan. The person in charge of the renovation team said: "We plan to overhaul the roof of the courtyard house, replace some damaged tiles, and reinforce and paint the walls. We will use traditional materials and techniques to maintain the original style of the courtyard house. In addition, we also suggest building a small traditional cultural exhibition hall in the yard to display the historical relics, old photos and some traditional handicrafts of the courtyard house, so that tourists can understand the cultural connotation of the courtyard house in a more systematic way." Resident Lao Li asked: "Will the construction of this exhibition hall destroy the overall layout of the courtyard house?" The person in charge patiently explained: "We will make reasonable plans based on the spatial structure of the courtyard house, and try to use some unused corners or wing rooms for construction, which will not affect the main layout and traffic of the courtyard house." During the renovation and exhibition hall construction process, residents actively participated in supervision to ensure that every link met the requirements. After the exhibition hall was built, the rich exhibits displayed in it attracted the attention of many tourists. A tourist said to his companion while visiting the exhibition hall: "Look at these old photos, which record the changes of the Siheyuan. They are really precious. And these traditional handicrafts are so finely crafted that people can't help but sigh at the wisdom of the ancients." Through these measures, the Siheyuan has found a feasible path between commercial development and cultural inheritance, which not only meets the needs of tourists, but also protects and promotes its own cultural value. It is like a big ship sailing steadily in the tide of the times, and the residents are the helmsmen of this ship, grasping the direction, allowing the Siheyuan to continue to break through the waves in the ocean of cultural inheritance and tourism development, continuing to write its glorious chapter, and becoming a permanent cultural symbol and tourist destination in people's hearts.