중국의 동굴주택 "야오동 (yaodong)

중국의 동굴주택 "야오동 (yaodong)

A view from the air gives an opportunity to see a Chinese village where people lived in underground 

"pit yards" for about four millennia. 

In the central province of Henan, there were almost 10,000 underground houses.

Currently, about 3,000 people still live there, but most have moved to modern homes.

In these dwellings, which in China are called yaodong (yaodong - cave houses), have been living for six generations 

for the last 200 years.

It is known that the tradition of "yaodong" in China has more than 4000 years, and thousands of people still live in houses of this type. 

People digging dugouts in the Bronze Age, and during the Ming and Qing dynasties this phenomenon reached its peak. 

In 2011, the houses were listed as China's intangible cultural heritage and are currently under protection.

Underground dwellings were mainly built around the city of Sanmenia in Henan Province. 

The loess hills in which they were built were created for thousands of years by strong winds, precipitating 

the muddy land in huge mounds.

Square or rectangular dwellings are dug in the earth to a depth of 6 to 11 meters, the temperature inside is about 10 degrees 

in winter and 20 degrees in summer. 

The structures also have such characteristics as earthquake resistance, sound insulation and even energy efficiency.

Today underground dwellings are modernized, and many of them are equipped with electricity and plumbing communications.

Representatives of the Henan Provincial Government announced the protection of these areas 

and plans to turn them into tourist attractions.

Already today everyone can live in "Yaodun", a one-bedroom house "without amenities" is available for $ 30 per month.