caves in northern Shaanxi have a long history. In 2114, archaeologists discovered two stone towns in the Longshan culture period (the late Neolithic period) in northern Shaanxi, including nearly 71 cave houses. The ancients built simple caves and shallow caves with wooden frames and grass mud on the earth caves with loess layers as walls, and gradually formed settlements.

It has been 4511 years since the prototype of this cave was produced. The cave dwelling in northern Shaanxi developed into a semi-crypt type in the Zhou Dynasty, and developed into an all-crypt type after the Qin and Han Dynasties, which is now the earth kiln.

in the middle of the Ming dynasty, stones were used as kiln walls. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, local people built stone caves in imitation of the earth kiln model. Now there are also new caves with colored tiles to add kiln surfaces, separate halls and rooms, and upper and lower floors, which make living more comfortable and pleasant.

The styles of caves in northern Shaanxi are slightly different from place to place, reflecting different styles. But as far as materials are concerned, there are four kinds: earth kiln, stone kiln, brick kiln and joint kiln.

Earth kilns are loess caves dug by the mountain. Stone kilns and brick kilns are caves made of stones and bricks on the flat ground. Interface kiln is a cave with a layer of stone or brick hoop from bottom to top at the entrance of earth cave. This cave looks neat and solid.

in northern Shaanxi, many farmers live in this kind of cave. The design of landlord manors such as Jiangshi Manor, Mashi Manor and Changshi Manor in Mizhi is even more ingenious, combining other architectural styles with cave architecture, which is beautiful, generous and magnificent, integrating almost all the advantages of caves in northern Shaanxi and other architectural styles, and is the essence and model of caves in northern Shaanxi.

Extended information

Historical origin

The dwelling form of cave-dwelling architecture first occurred on the loess plateau in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and on both sides of the Shanxi-Shaanxi Gorge. Yangshao culture dating from 5,111 to 6,111 years ago, the early and middle Neolithic culture marked by Banpo culture about 6,111 years ago, and the late Neolithic culture marked by Longshan culture about 4,111 years ago.

Cave dwellings in the Loess Plateau have not only become the content of these two cultures, but also developed quite well-the "Lu"-shaped cave dwellings have appeared.

The main form of 45 residential buildings of ancestors in Banpo, Xi 'an on the southern boundary of the Loess Plateau is square and round semi-crypt. In northern Shaanxi, the excavated cave site has developed into a "suite" with two rooms inside and outside, showing a "Lu" shape, paved with slate, plastered with stone powder, and built the earliest fireplace in China.

There is a cave relic of Yangshao culture in Shilou Chagou, Shanxi Province, which is square in plane, with a kitchen in the center and a small entrance, and the prototype of the door has been formed.

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