Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

"Siheyuan Storm" With the advancement of international cultural exchange projects, Siheyuan welcomed the first batch of foreign cultural exchange groups. These friends from different countries and regions are full of curiosity and expectations about Chinese traditional culture. As soon as the leader of the exchange group stepped into the Siheyuan, he said to Xiao Ming: "I have heard that Siheyuan is a treasure of traditional Chinese residential culture. Today, I see that it is indeed worthy of its reputation. We can't wait to learn more about everything here." Xiao Ming responded enthusiastically: "Welcome to your arrival. We have prepared a variety of activities for everyone. I hope you can fully appreciate the charm of Siheyuan." The first activity was the traditional handicraft experience activity. In a wing room of the Siheyuan, various handicraft production tools such as paper cutting, embroidery, and pottery are placed. A traditional Chinese handicraft master held a paper-cutting tool and introduced it to foreign friends: "Paper-cutting is an ancient Chinese folk art. We can create various exquisite patterns with scissors and paper. Like this '囍' character pattern, it often appears in traditional Chinese weddings and other festive occasions." A foreign lady asked curiously: "This looks difficult. Can I learn it?" The master smiled and encouraged her: "Don't worry, just follow me step by step, and you will find the fun. First fold the paper in half, and then cut out an outline like this..." On the other side, the embroidery master was also patiently instructing: "Embroidery requires delicate needlework, and this stitch should be even and smooth. Look at this peony pattern, which symbolizes wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture." A foreign man said while trying to embroider: "This requires great patience, but it is really interesting. I want to take this embroidery back to show my family." Then there was a traditional music and dance performance. In the center of the courtyard of the quadrangle, Peking Opera actors made their debut. An actor explained before the performance: "Peking opera is the quintessence of China, integrating various performance forms such as singing, reciting, acting and fighting. I am going to perform an excerpt from "The Drunken Concubine". You can feel the unique singing style and beautiful movements of Peking opera." After the performance, foreign friends applauded. One friend exclaimed: "This voice and this movement are so shocking! It seems to have brought me to the ancient Chinese court." Afterwards, the courtyard also arranged traditional food making and tasting activities. In the kitchen area, the chef is teaching everyone how to make dumplings. As the chef was wrapping dumplings, he said, "Dumplings are a traditional Chinese delicacy with many kinds of fillings. This dumpling with pork and cabbage filling is very popular. Put the filling in the middle of the dumpling skin, and then pinch the edges like this..." A foreign friend wrapped a dumpling with a strange shape and said with a smile, "My dumpling looks very special, but I believe it must taste good." Tasting the dumplings he made himself, a foreign friend said, "This dumpling is so delicious. I have never experienced such an interesting food making process." During the exchange, foreign friends also shared the cultural characteristics of their own countries. A friend from France said, "In France, we also have ancient buildings and unique food culture. Like Notre Dame in Paris, it is a classic of Gothic architecture. Our French cuisine is also famous all over the world, with exquisite foie gras, truffles and other delicacies." A friend from Japan went on to say, "Japanese traditional architecture, such as the townhouses in Kyoto, is also very distinctive. There is also tea ceremony culture, where you can feel tranquility and harmony through tea tasting." This kind of cultural exchange and collision also opened the eyes of the residents of the Siheyuan. Lao Zhang said: "It turns out that there are so many wonderful cultures around the world. We can integrate these elements into the cultural display of Siheyuan in the future, so that more people can understand the multicultural culture." As the exchange activities deepened, Siheyuan reached more cooperation intentions with foreign cultural institutions. For example, cultural envoys were sent to each other for long-term exchanges and learning, and cross-border cultural theme exhibitions were jointly held. A representative of a foreign cultural institution said to the residents: "We hope that through these cooperations, the Siheyuan culture and the culture of our country will take root in each other's land and promote mutual understanding and integration between different cultures." Siheyuan is going further and further on the stage of international cultural exchange. It is not only a display window for Chinese traditional culture, but also an important platform for world cultural exchange. In this process, residents continue to learn and grow, and strive to build Siheyuan into a vibrant and inclusive cultural holy land, continue to write a more brilliant chapter, and let the story of Siheyuan be spread in every corner of the world.

After reaching a series of cooperation intentions with foreign cultural institutions, the residents of Siheyuan began to prepare for a cross-border cultural theme exhibition. They knew that this exhibition was not only an important opportunity for Siheyuan culture to go global, but also an excellent window to show the world the results of China's multicultural integration. At the exhibition preparation meeting, Xiao Yang, a resident in charge of planning, said: "We have to carefully select exhibits for this exhibition, which should not only highlight the cultural characteristics of Siheyuan itself, but also show the innovative elements after interaction with foreign cultures. For example, we can display some creative works that combine traditional Siheyuan wood carvings with foreign modern art styles." An old resident asked: "But will such a combination appear abrupt? We have to ensure the overall coordination." Xiao Yang explained: "Uncle, don't worry. We will strictly control the selection of works and invite professional art consultants to design the layout. These combined works are actually the crystallization of cultural integration, which will bring new visual impact and cultural perception to the audience." In order to enrich the form of the exhibition, they also decided to invite some international artists to the Siheyuan for live creation performances. When contacting a well-known Italian painter, Xiao Yang said to him: "Your painting style is unique. We hope that you can create in the Siheyuan, using the architecture and life scenes of the Siheyuan as inspiration, and integrating your Western artistic perspective with the Eastern cultural heritage here. I believe that very wonderful works will be produced." The Italian painter readily agreed: "This is a very interesting challenge. I am looking forward to feeling the unique atmosphere in the Siheyuan. I believe I can create amazing paintings." On the eve of the opening of the exhibition, the residents carefully arranged the Siheyuan. They built a temporary exhibition shed in the yard, arranged the exhibits one by one, and set up detailed introduction panels. A resident in charge of the arrangement said to his companion: "The order of placement of this exhibit is very important. It should be arranged according to a certain cultural context so that the audience can better understand the connotation of the entire exhibition." The companion responded: "Yes, we also need to ensure that the lighting effect can highlight the characteristics of the exhibits so that the audience can have a better visual enjoyment." On the opening day of the exhibition, many domestic and foreign guests came to visit. An art critic from the UK said during his visit: "This exhibition is such a surprise! Every exhibit here seems to be telling a story of cross-cultural exchange. For example, this work that combines traditional Chinese paper-cutting patterns with Western abstract painting techniques breaks cultural boundaries and shows infinite creativity." A Chinese audience also said with emotion: "I feel extremely proud to see that Siheyuan can hold such an international exhibition. This not only allows us to see the new vitality of traditional culture, but also allows us to have a deeper understanding of the diversity of world culture." During the exhibition, a number of cultural exchange seminars were also held. At a seminar on the integration of traditional architectural culture, a German architect said: "The architectural layout of the Siheyuan reflects the unique understanding of space and family relationships of the Orientals, while Western architecture pays more attention to the independence and functionality of individual space. If we can find a balance between the two in modern architectural design, we will create a new architectural style." Lao Li, a resident of the Siheyuan, responded: "You are right. In the process of protecting the Siheyuan, we are constantly thinking about how to integrate modern elements into it without losing the traditional charm. Some of the architectural models displayed in this exhibition are the results of our attempts." With the successful holding of the cross-border cultural theme exhibition, the international reputation and influence of the Siheyuan has reached a new height. Many international media have reported that the Siheyuan is "a model place for the integration of world cultures." This has also attracted more international tourists. A tourist from Australia said to Xiao Ming: "I saw reports about the Siheyuan exhibition in the international media, and immediately decided to come here to experience it. This is really a place full of charm and surprises. I must tell my friends when I go back." Siheyuan is not satisfied with the status quo. They began to plan to establish friendly cultural exchange relations with more international cities, regularly send cultural delegations to each other, and carry out long-term cultural exchange projects. When discussing cooperation plans with representatives of foreign cities, Xiao Ming said: "We hope that through this long-term exchange, Siheyuan culture and cultures from all over the world can continue to interact and develop together, and make greater contributions to the prosperity of world culture." Representatives of foreign cities agreed: "Siheyuan has become a shining star in world cultural exchanges. We are honored to establish such a cooperative relationship with you. I believe that more wonderful cultural stories will be born here in the future." Siheyuan continues to stride forward on the road of international cultural exchange. It continues to write the legend of cultural integration and innovation, and becomes an important link connecting different cultures in the world, allowing everyone who comes here to feel the charm and power brought by cultural collisions, and also allowing Chinese traditional culture to bloom more brilliantly on the world stage.

"Siheyuan Storm" As plans to establish friendly cultural exchange relations with more international cities gradually advance, Siheyuan has ushered in new challenges and opportunities. In order to better promote cultural exchanges, residents decided to comprehensively upgrade the cultural exchange facilities of Siheyuan. At a meeting to discuss the facility upgrade plan, a young resident proposed: "We can build a modern cultural exchange center equipped with advanced multimedia equipment to display cultural image materials from different countries. At the same time, we can also set up multiple multi-functional conference rooms to facilitate various cultural lectures, seminars and small art performances." Lao Zhang asked with some concern: "Will such a large-scale construction destroy the original layout and style of the Siheyuan?" The expert in charge of planning explained: "We will adopt the most advanced design concepts to ensure that the new cultural exchange center is integrated with the overall style of the Siheyuan. For example, the exterior of the building will adopt traditional Siheyuan elements such as eaves, carved doors and windows, etc., while the interior will use modern space layout and decoration materials to achieve a perfect combination of tradition and modernity." During the construction of the cultural exchange center, residents actively participated in supervision. A resident said to the construction manager: "The color of the wall must be coordinated with the overall tone of the courtyard house and cannot be too glaring. Also, the material of the floor must be non-slip and durable." The construction manager replied: "Don't worry, we have a detailed construction plan, and every detail will be done according to the requirements. We also hope to create a cultural exchange center for the courtyard house that is both practical and beautiful." After the completion of the cultural exchange center, the first batch of international cultural exchange delegations arrived. In the cultural lecture session, a cultural scholar from China was explaining the influence of traditional Chinese philosophical thoughts on the architectural layout of the courtyard house. The scholar said: "The symmetrical layout of the courtyard embodies the Confucian 'golden mean', which pursues balance and harmony. The natural landscape arrangement in the courtyard contains the Taoist concept of 'harmony between man and nature', where man and nature blend with each other." A member of the foreign delegation asked curiously: "What is the significance of this philosophical thought in modern society?" The scholar smiled and replied: "These ideas still have profound value. For example, in urban planning, we still pursue the harmonious coexistence of architecture and nature, and man and environment. In dealing with interpersonal relationships, the 'golden mean' also reminds us to avoid extremes and seek balance and compromise." In the art performance session, artists from different countries took the stage to perform. An Indian dancer brought a passionate Indian dance performance. After the performance, she said to the audience: "Indian dance is a treasure of our Indian culture. It expresses respect for the gods and love for life through the movement of the body. I performed in the courtyard, a place full of cultural heritage, and felt the resonance between Eastern cultures." A Chinese Peking Opera actor then took the stage and performed a wonderful martial arts performance. He said: "Peking opera is the quintessence of China, integrating various art forms such as singing, reciting, acting and fighting. I hope that through my performance, international friends can better understand the charm of Chinese opera culture." In addition to cultural lectures and art performances, the Cultural Exchange Center also held a cultural and creative market. Artists and craftsmen from various countries displayed and sold their creative works here. A French craftsman holding the exquisite ceramic ornaments he made said: "These ornaments combine the romantic style of France and the ceramic craftsmanship of China. I got a lot of inspiration from the Siheyuan. I hope everyone will like it." A Chinese woodcarving artist also showed his works: "My woodcarving works add some modern design elements on the basis of tradition. For example, this woodcarving bird has a simpler and smoother shape, which is more in line with the aesthetics of modern people." With the in-depth development of cultural exchange activities, the residents of the Siheyuan found that language barriers have become a problem for some foreign friends to have a deep understanding of the Siheyuan culture. Therefore, they decided to recruit a group of volunteers to provide multilingual cultural interpretation services for foreign tourists. At the volunteer training session, the training teacher said to the volunteers: "You must not only master foreign languages, but also have a deep understanding of the cultural connotations of Siheyuan, so that you can accurately introduce everything here to foreign tourists. For example, when introducing the traditional festival customs of Siheyuan, you must be able to vividly tell the stories and cultural significance behind them." A volunteer asked: "What should we do if tourists ask some more professional cultural questions?" The teacher replied: "We will provide you with detailed information and expert support, and you can check and ask at any time. The important thing is to maintain enthusiasm and patience, so that tourists can feel the friendliness and tolerance of Siheyuan." Through the upgrading of cultural exchange facilities, rich and diverse cultural activities and the improvement of volunteer services, Siheyuan plays an increasingly important role in international cultural exchanges. It has become a melting pot of world culture, where various cultures collide and blend with each other, producing colorful sparks. In this process, the residents of Siheyuan have continuously improved their cultural literacy and international vision, and continued to write the glorious chapter of Siheyuan on the international cultural stage, making this ancient Siheyuan glow with endless youthful vitality and become an immortal monument in the history of world cultural exchanges.