Qingxu caimen building

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Qingxu caimen building

Applicant: Qingxu County, Shanxi Province

Project No.: 1159

Project No.: Ⅶ - 102

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Shanxi Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Qingxu County, Shanxi Province

Protection unit: Qingxu Cultural Center

Brief introduction of Qingxu caimen building

Applicant: Qingxu County, Shanxi Province

Qingxu caimenlou is a comprehensive art integrating folk ancient architectural skills, folk art and folk handicrafts. It is a folk saying that "the lion dragon lantern runs on the dry boat and the colorful building stands on the street" has been circulating for many years in Qingxu County, Shanxi Province. It can be seen that the position of the colorful gate building in Qingxu's folk literature and art activities over the years is quite important.

Qingxu caimenlou originated in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Qingxu County was called Qingyuan County, with convenient transportation, numerous shops and prosperous economy. On New Year's day, in order to pray for the prosperity of shops, the safety of people and animals, and the elimination of all kinds of evils, people gather cypress leaves from the nearby mountains, tie them to bamboo poles and sticks, and insert them at the top of their houses, in order to prosper in the coming year. In the Song Dynasty, it developed into a Cupressus leaf gatehouse with several doorposts in front of its own door, with branches of Cupressus leaves tied on the top and couplets written on both sides. It has different shapes every year and is of great ornamental value. Later, through the improvement of many businesses, from the original Baiye gate building to Baiye color gate building, twisted color gate building, painted color gate building. The development of caimen building in Qingxu is the record and embodiment of folk culture in Qingxu area. It is a special expression of Qingxu people's yearning for a better life and praying for blessings. At the same time, it also shows that the local economy and trade are increasingly developed.

Qingxu caimenlou is the only style of gatehouse art in China, which occupies a prominent position in the gatehouse art of the whole country. It has high historical value, scientific research value and economic value, and needs to be effectively protected.