Siheyuan: Silly Pillar is Kind

"Siheyuan Storm" While Siheyuan cultural and artistic derivatives are actively exploring the international market, Siheyuan has ushered in a change in cultural inheritance and deepening of education. Some residents realized that although Siheyuan has achieved many results in cultural communication, there is still a lot of room for improvement in the systematic education of the next generation. So they decided to combine community education resources to set up a special traditional cultural inheritance school in the Siheyuan. Teacher Li, who is in charge of the preparation of the school, discussed the teaching plan with several key residents: "For this school, we have to start from the basics and build a complete Siheyuan cultural knowledge system for the children. In terms of curriculum setting, there must first be an explanation of the architectural history and structure of the Siheyuan, so that the children can understand why the layout of the Siheyuan is like this, and what kind of ancient wisdom is contained in each building structure. For example, the explanation of the gate of the Siheyuan, from the shape and color of the door to the style of the door knocker, has strict hierarchical regulations and rich cultural implications." Resident Grandpa Zhang asked: "What else do you teach besides architectural knowledge?" Teacher Li replied: "Folk culture is also a key content. For example, the traditional ways of celebrating festivals in the Siheyuan, how to worship ancestors and post Spring Festival couplets during the Spring Festival, how to enjoy the moon and eat moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the stories and meanings behind these customs must be told to the children in detail. In addition, the traditional handicrafts in the Siheyuan, such as paper cutting, embroidery, and pottery, allow children to experience them personally and feel the charm of traditional culture. In addition, we will also offer traditional etiquette courses to teach children how to get along with others in a traditional environment like the Siheyuan, and etiquette norms such as the order of seniority and the distinction between the superior and the inferior." When recruiting teachers, a teacher named Zhao who is good at calligraphy came to apply: "I have many years of experience in teaching calligraphy. I think calligraphy is a very important part of the inheritance of Siheyuan culture. By learning calligraphy, children can better understand the culture of Chinese characters, and at the same time they can cultivate patience and concentration. I can offer calligraphy courses in the school, starting with basic strokes, so that children can appreciate the charm of calligraphy." Teacher Li said happily: "That's great, Teacher Zhao. Your calligraphy teaching will definitely add a lot of color to the school. We also hope that you can combine calligraphy with Siheyuan culture in the teaching process, such as letting the children write some poems and couplets related to Siheyuan." When the Traditional Culture Inheritance School officially opened, the children walked into the classroom full of curiosity and expectation. In the architectural history class, Teacher Li held up a model of a Siheyuan and said to the children: "Students, look at this Siheyuan model. The main house is the tallest and most important building, usually where the elders of the family live. The east and west wing rooms are where the younger generations live. This layout reflects the ethical concepts of the ancient Chinese family. Think about it, why is it arranged like this?" A little boy raised his hand and answered: "Is it because we want to respect the elders, so we let them live in the best house?" Teacher Li smiled and nodded: "That's right. This is the cultural connotation of order of seniority contained in the Siheyuan architecture." In the folk culture class, Grandma Wang, as a folk expert, told the children the story of the Spring Festival: "The Spring Festival is our most important traditional festival. In the Siheyuan, there are a series of activities starting from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. This day is the Little New Year, and we have to worship the Kitchen God. Legend has it that the Kitchen God will go to heaven on this day to report the family's situation in the past year to the Jade Emperor. So everyone has to prepare delicious food to offer to the Kitchen God, hoping that he can say a few more good words." The children listened with gusto. A little girl asked: "Grandma Wang, why do we put up Spring Festival couplets?" Grandma Wang patiently explained: "Spring Festival couplets originated from peach charms, which were originally used to ward off evil spirits and avoid disasters. Later, they gradually evolved into a way to express good wishes. Pasting red Spring Festival couplets on the gate of the Siheyuan is both festive and auspicious." In the handicraft class, the embroidery teacher showed the exquisite embroidery works and said to the children: "Embroidery is a delicate job, just like we live in the Siheyuan, every detail is important. Look at this embroidered flower, it has to be embroidered stitch by stitch, and the color matching and needlework are very particular. Now you can pick up the needle and thread and try to embroider a simple pattern, such as a small plum blossom." The children carefully threaded the needle. Although their techniques were a little rusty, they were very dedicated. With the deepening of the school teaching, the children not only learned a wealth of knowledge and skills, but also their love for the Siheyuan culture has increased day by day. Some children also took the initiative to propose to do something for the cultural inheritance of the Siheyuan. Several children approached Teacher Li and said, "Teacher, we want to set up a Siheyuan cultural ambassador group to promote Siheyuan culture to more people. We can perform traditional programs and hold cultural exhibitions in the community to let more children and uncles and aunts know about Siheyuan." Teacher Li said with satisfaction, "Your idea is great! The teacher supports you. I will help you plan activities so that you can better play the role of little ambassadors." The establishment of the Siheyuan Traditional Culture Inheritance School has injected new vitality into the inheritance of Siheyuan culture and cultivated a new generation of people who love traditional culture. These children are like sparks, spreading Siheyuan culture to a wider world, allowing Siheyuan to continue to run in the long river of cultural inheritance, writing wonderful chapters from generation to generation, becoming an important base for traditional cultural education and inheritance, and contributing to the revival of Chinese national culture.

"Siheyuan Storm" While the children trained in the Siheyuan Traditional Culture Inheritance School are actively carrying out cultural dissemination activities, Siheyuan has ushered in new opportunities for the deep integration of technology and culture. A technology company focusing on the combination of artificial intelligence and cultural creativity has taken a fancy to the rich cultural resources of Siheyuan and hopes to cooperate with Siheyuan to develop a Siheyuan cultural interactive experience software based on artificial intelligence. The technical director of the technology company came to the Siheyuan and introduced to the residents and teachers of the school: "This software will use advanced artificial intelligence technology to create an immersive Siheyuan cultural exploration journey for users. Users can talk to virtual Siheyuan characters through voice interaction, such as discussing Siheyuan construction skills with a virtual old craftsman, or asking a virtual family elder about traditional etiquette. The software can also intelligently recommend knowledge content related to Siheyuan culture, such as historical stories, folk legends, etc. based on the user's interests and questions. In addition, with the help of augmented reality (AR) technology, users can point their mobile phones at the buildings or objects in the Siheyuan to see the virtual historical scenes reappear, such as the lively scenes when the Siheyuan was built, or the celebrations of past festivals." Teacher Li from the school asked: "This sounds amazing, but will it be too complicated for children and ordinary users to operate?" The technical director smiled and replied: "We have fully considered this when designing. The software interface will be very simple and intuitive, and the operation process will be simplified as much as possible. Users only need simple voice commands or clicks to activate various functions. In addition, we will provide detailed tutorials and guidance to ensure that both children and the elderly can easily get started." Uncle Zhao, a resident, said with some concern: "Is this artificial intelligence reliable? Don't misinterpret the culture of our Siheyuan." The technical director quickly explained: "Uncle, don't worry. We have professional cultural consultants in our team, who will strictly review and check the cultural content in the software. At the same time, we will invite residents and teachers of the Siheyuan to participate in the improvement of the content to ensure that every piece of information is accurate and in line with the cultural connotation of the Siheyuan." During the software development process, the scientific and technological personnel worked closely with the residents of the Siheyuan. A programmer in charge of the development of the voice interaction function said to the resident Master Wang: "Master Wang, please tell us the pronunciation and meaning of some professional terms in the traditional carpentry work of the Siheyuan, so that we can make the answers of the virtual old craftsman more professional and authentic." Master Wang explained in detail: "For example, the word 'mortise and tenon', 'mortise' is pronounced sun, and 'mortise' is pronounced mǎo. This is a very critical connection method in Siheyuan architecture. It can make the wood firmly spliced ​​together without nails, reflecting the superb wisdom of our ancestors." When the beta version of the software was completed, the Siheyuan organized a trial event. The children gathered together excitedly to try out the software. A little boy said to his phone, "I want to learn about the Mid-Autumn Festival customs in the Siheyuan." The virtual family elders in the software immediately replied, "On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the family in the Siheyuan will gather in the courtyard, place moon cakes, fruits and other offerings under the moonlight, and worship the moon god. The children will play in the yard with lanterns, while the adults will watch the moon and tell legends such as Chang'e flying to the moon." The little boy said happily, "It's so fun, just like chatting with the old people in the Siheyuan." After trying the AR function, a young resident exclaimed, "Wow, I scanned this door with my phone and saw the scene of the craftsmen making this door in the past. I can even see the tools and craftsmanship they used clearly. This is very helpful for us to understand the history of the Siheyuan." With the official launch of the software, it quickly spread among cultural enthusiasts and users. A cultural scholar commented after experiencing it: "This software is a model of the integration of technology and culture. It not only allows Siheyuan culture to be presented to people in a new and attractive way, but also opens up new ways for the inheritance and dissemination of traditional culture. Through the interactivity of artificial intelligence, users can explore Siheyuan culture more proactively, rather than passively accepting knowledge." In order to further promote this software, Siheyuan and technology companies decided to hold software experience promotion activities in schools, community cultural centers and other places. At an event at a school, a staff member of a technology company said to the students: "Students, this software is like a key to open the door to Siheyuan culture. You can use it to gain in-depth knowledge of Siheyuan architecture, folk customs, etiquette and other aspects. Moreover, you can also use your creativity to create essays, paintings and other works about Siheyuan culture using the materials in the software." A student asked curiously: "Can we play games with the virtual characters in the software?" The staff member replied: "Of course. There are some small games in the software such as cultural knowledge quizzes and traditional handicraft production simulations. You can interact with the virtual characters and learn about Siheyuan culture in the game." Through cooperation with technology companies, Siheyuan has once again stood at the forefront of cultural innovation, using artificial intelligence technology to give the ancient Siheyuan culture new vitality and vitality in modern society. It continues to write a glorious chapter, becoming a benchmark for science and technology to help the inheritance and development of traditional culture, attracting more forces to participate in the exploration of the integration of culture and technology, and injecting a steady stream of power into the revival of traditional culture.

"Siheyuan Storm" With the successful promotion of Siheyuan cultural interactive experience software based on artificial intelligence, the popularity and influence of Siheyuan have further expanded, attracting the attention and reports of many domestic and foreign media. An internationally renowned travel magazine decided to recommend Siheyuan as a key tourist and cultural destination and conduct in-depth special reports. The magazine's reporter team came to the Siheyuan and had in-depth exchanges with the residents. Reporter Xiao Li said to Aunt Zhang, a resident: "Aunt Zhang, we want to know about the daily life scenes in the Siheyuan. Are the neighborhood relationships here really as harmonious as the legend says?" Aunt Zhang smiled and replied: "Of course! In the Siheyuan, everyone is like a family. Every morning, we will greet each other, and whoever makes delicious food will share it with the neighbors. When encountering difficulties, everyone will lend a hand. For example, last time the child of the old Zhao family was sick, several of our families took turns to help take care of him. This is the human touch of the Siheyuan." Reporter Xiao Wang then asked: "Then in the Siheyuan, are there some unique traditional activities that tourists can participate in and experience?" Xiao Ming answered on the side: "There are many! For example, we will regularly hold traditional tea art performances, and tourists can learn to make and taste tea and experience the profoundness of Chinese tea culture. There are also traditional opera performances, and tourists can go on stage to learn a few lines of lyrics from the actors, put on costumes and dress up, and experience the charm of opera." When photographing the architectural style of the Siheyuan, photographer Xiao Zhang said to resident Master Li: "Master Li, can you tell me what the decorative patterns on the Siheyuan buildings mean? I want to take photos with more cultural connotations." Master Li pointed to the bat pattern on the eaves and said: "Look at this bat pattern, it represents good fortune in Chinese culture. Because 'bat' and 'blessing' are homophones, many buildings will have bat decorations, which means good fortune is coming. And the lotus pot in this yard, the lotus grows out of the mud without being stained, symbolizing noble quality, and also makes the yard full of vitality and elegance." With the publication of the magazine's special report, the Siheyuan welcomed more tourists from all over the world. These tourists are not only interested in the architecture and culture of the Siheyuan, but also curious about the living experience of the Siheyuan. A foreign tourist said to the person in charge of accommodation reception at the Siheyuan: "I want to stay in the Siheyuan for one night to feel the tranquility and simplicity here. Can the layout of the room also reflect the cultural characteristics of the Siheyuan?" The person in charge replied: "Of course. Our rooms will be decorated in the style of traditional Siheyuan, with carved beds, antique furniture, and old photos of Siheyuan and traditional calligraphy and paintings on the walls. In addition, we will provide you with traditional Chinese breakfast, such as fried dough sticks, soy milk, buns, and porridge, so that you can experience the life of Siheyuan in all aspects." In order to meet the growing needs of tourists, the residents of Siheyuan began to think about how to further improve the quality of tourism services. They decided to cooperate with a professional tourism service training company to provide systematic training for residents engaged in tourism reception. The instructor of the training company said to the residents: "When receiving tourists, we must pay attention to service details. For example, the smile should be sincere and enthusiastic, and we should be patient when communicating with tourists and be able to accurately answer various questions of tourists. At the same time, we must learn some basic foreign language communication skills in order to better serve foreign tourists." A resident asked: "Then when introducing the Siheyuan culture, how can we make it more vivid and interesting so that tourists can understand it more easily?" The instructor replied: "You can incorporate more stories and cases. For example, when talking about the architectural history of the Siheyuan, you can talk about the stories of the craftsmen who built the Siheyuan, or the rise and fall of a family in the Siheyuan. This will allow tourists to better empathize and have a stronger interest in the Siheyuan culture." While improving the quality of tourism services, the Siheyuan has also established cooperative relationships with surrounding tourist attractions and cultural institutions to jointly create cultural tourism routes. When discussing cooperation with the director of a nearby museum, the representative of the Siheyuan said: "We can connect the Siheyuan and the museum. After visiting the Siheyuan, tourists can go to the museum to learn more about the local history and culture. This can not only enrich the tourists' travel experience, but also promote the dissemination and exchange of culture." The director responded: "This is a good idea. Our museum can arrange some special interpretation activities for tourists on this route, such as explaining the cultural relics related to the Siheyuan architectural style, or displaying some old objects reflecting the life scenes of the Siheyuan, so that tourists can have a deeper understanding of the Siheyuan culture." With the implementation of these measures, the area where the Siheyuan is located has gradually formed a complete cultural tourism ecosystem, attracting more and more tourists to explore. Siheyuan is getting smoother and smoother on the road of cultural tourism development, continuing to write a glorious chapter, and has become a successful model for the integrated development of cultural tourism. It has provided valuable experience and reference for the development of cultural tourism in other regions, and has also allowed more people to appreciate the unique charm and profound heritage of Siheyuan culture.