Courtyard

Liang Sicheng said: For the Chinese, having a courtyard of one’s own means the spirit truly has a place to settle. The Chinese have had a deep affection for courtyards since ancient times. Whether in the halls of power or far from officialdom, there was always a courtyard. A courtyard bears a way of life, a world different from the noise outside. A courtyard is the yearning many people have for their hometowns and homesteads; it hides a beautiful little world in our hearts. Bright flagstones, grey-tiled eaves, scattered flowers and trees, curling smoke from cooking fires, the scent of food wafting over from neighbors, and children playing in the courtyard unaware of the setting sun. Now that we have left the courtyards behind and moved into tall city buildings, we are gradually becoming estranged from the reassuring connection to the earth, gradually forgetting our old dreams of being at one with nature. Time is just right, life is stable. Having a courtyard, returning to nature and oneself, brewing tea and reading books, listening to the wind and rain lying down, has become a pursuit. Many people yearn for a garden of their own, a place where they can be…