ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book talks about Philosophically, the courtyards acted as links between Heaven and Earth, as during the Han dynasty. The Chinese regarded Heaven and Earth as a macrocosm and the human body a microcosm to reflect the universe offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth in courtyards was considered crucial to bringing good fortune. The courtyard house is one of the oldest dwelling typology, spanning at least 5,000 years and occurring in distinctive forms in many parts of the world across climates and cultures, such as China, India, the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, North Africa, ancient Greece and Rome, Spain, and Latin-Hispanic America. Archaeological excavations unearthed the earliest courtyard house in China during the Middle Neolithic period, represented by the Yangshao culture. Courtyards or lightwells were important features in the layout of a fully built Chinese house.
