Heatable Brick Beds Warm NE China Homes

In northeast China’s chilly winter, getting into a warm bed is made possible by an ancient heatable brick bed that could date back more than two thousand years     1     is still widely used today. These beds not only bring warmth to local residents, but also continue the folk culture of northeast China.

The bed is made of bricks or other forms of fired clay with     2    width of about1.7 m to 2.3 m and a length that can be determined according to the length of the bedroom. It uses a ducted heating system similar to the Roman hypocaust,     3    (compose) of a stove, a bed and a chimney. The stove     4    (use) to burn firewood. Smoke and heat generated by burning firewood pass through an internal hollow and curved flue system to heat the bed above. Smoke is eventually discharged outward through the chimney. The bed retains heat well,     5    enables people     6    (have) a comfortable sleeping environment in the cold winter. In addition,     7    (sleep) on the heatable brick bed for a prolonged period is good for the blood     8    (circulate) and metabolism of the body, and can relieve some diseases such as arthritis and waist and leg pain.

The heatable brick bed is not only used as a bed, but also a living area for the family. People     9    (routine) have their meals and family     10    (gathering) on the bed in cold winters. The bed is a symbol of home that embodies the emotion and love they feel towards their families.

Hutongs are the many little alleys that connect the courtyards of     1     (tradition) houses. They are a feature of ancient Chinese architecture. Nowadays, hutongs also refer to the courtyards and the communities there. Most of Beijing’s hutongs were built between the 13^th and 19^th    2     (century). The Emperors during these periods built hutongs to help keep control over the city. They were then able to place guards at the entrances of the     3     (vary) of hutongs, making it easier to keep     4     eye on people’s movements. People’s houses     5     (build) facing each other around courtyards,    6     people supported each other, and shared the joy and sorrow, and played together. Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty, hutongs were built     7     (house) the increasing population, but they were     8     (poor) made. After the People’s Republic of China was founded, the government undertook the preservation of many hutongs. Hutongs,    9     (show) that Beijing is truly ancient     10     modern, are important and are loved by the tourists.