Kazakh yurts are called the "white palace" of grassland, which consists of five parts: fence, pole, top ring, felt and door. The raw materials of the felt house have a great relationship with the local natural environment: the skeleton of the felt house is composed of a circular grid on the Gobi Desert and a top ring made of mangrove wood. The fence consists of mangroves and wooden railings criss-crossing. The upper part of the felt house is a dome, which is composed of dozens of poles of mangroves. After the roof truss is set up, wrap the fence and the top with felt. The skylight is in the center of the top with a movable felt cover. On weekdays, the skylight is used for ventilation and lighting, and on snowy days, the skylight is used for shelter to avoid cold.
Kazakh yurt doors mostly face east, about 1.5 meters high, and are carved double wooden doors. There is a fire pit in the middle of the yurt, food and cooking utensils are stored in the right rear, and people live in the second half to entertain guests. Islamic belief has a great influence on the daily life of Kazakhs: Islam prohibits any idolatry, so people's heads can't be hung on the west wall of the yurt; The direction of Mecca is in the west, so you can't sleep with your head facing east and your feet facing west. Kazakhs still maintain the worship of fire. They praise: "Our mother of fire keeps the frozen people warm and the hungry people full." Fire is sacred to them, and the stove should not be moved casually, otherwise it will be regarded as an offense to Vulcan, and the livestock at home will be punished and suffer heavy losses.
The houses where Kazakh herdsmen live in winter are made of wood, adobe and stone, and the houses are square and flat-topped. There is also a dome-shaped house, the walls are made of adobe and stone, and the roof is dome-shaped. Kazakh houses are fenced or earthen walls to enclose livestock.
Kazakhs mainly live in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Rem Kazak Autonomous County and Balikun Kazak Autonomous County. Most Kazakhs are engaged in animal husbandry. Herdsmen live in yurts that move with the seasons, and Kazakhs engaged in agricultural production gradually settle down.
Due to the differences in regional environment, climate and temperature, Kazak hats present different types. Herdsmen in Altay mountain area wear pointed fox fur hats in winter. There are ear protection fans on both sides of the fur hat, and the back edge of the hat hangs down and the top of the hat is triangular.
The yurt is a Kazakh residential building, which is suitable for relocation in spring, summer and autumn. In winter, flat-topped adobe houses are built in winter pastures (commonly known as "winter nests"). The felt house consists of fence, pole, top ring, felt and door, which is divided into upper and lower parts. The lower part is cylindrical and the upper part is dome. The lower part of the cylinder is surrounded by a fence composed of horizontally and vertically staggered mangroves. There is a skylight at the top, which is covered with movable felt for ventilation. Some roof mats are decorated with red or other colors. The yurt door is very small, and it is a double wooden door with carved patterns. In Kazakh, it is called "Skcaiwuke". Generally, it is 1.5m high and 0.8 m wide, and it is high above the ground to prevent snow and severe cold. Most doors open to the southeast to avoid the north wind. Outside the door of the Mongolian yurt, there is a curtain with felt made of Achnatherum splendens, and the door is put down in winter and spring. There are long wooden poles in the felt house, which are used to pre-felt the top of the wood circle.
Felt houses are generally divided into four types: simple small felt houses and felt houses with 4, 6 and 8 walls. The furnishings and arrangements in the yurt are exquisite, generally divided into living, entertainment, stacking items, cooking and other parts. Into the middle of the yurt, facing the skylight, is the place to cook. There is a big carpet on the top of the felt house, and curtains are hung on the pole above the carpet. Carpet is a place for eating and receiving people during the day, and it is separated by curtains as a bedroom at night.
Winter shelter: Kazak herders generally live in winter pastures from June 165438+ 10 to April of the following year. Houses in winter pastures are generally built in valleys or valleys that are sheltered from wind and snow. This kind of house has a solid structure and a dome shape. Known as "Xuexiala" in Kazakh, it is made of wood or stone. The shape of the house is square and flat-topped, and there is an iron stove or an earthen stove in the house. The fence is made of stone or adobe, about 2.5 meters high. There are many fine wooden rafters with poles. The lower end of the rafters is fixed on the top of the fence, and the upper end is connected to the top ring of the house. Then put woven reed mats or branches, and put four or six pillars on the roof, coated with a layer of grass mud. Kazakhs usually spend the winter in this kind of house.