为什么古代都做青砖（为何古代建筑用青砖而不用红砖？）
“白墙黛瓦春使然，青砖拈花香犹在”，这是古代建筑的真实写照，青砖绿瓦四个字足以体现古代建筑的特点。我们至今都还能看到千年前留下的古城墙，经过岁月的淘洗，那些青砖城墙显得十分古朴，让我们能感受到其中的文化韵味。
"White walls and black tiles are spring, and the fragrance of green bricks and flowers is still there", which is a true portrayal of ancient architecture. The four words "green bricks and green tiles" are enough to reflect the characteristics of ancient architecture.
而同时另一点让我们惊叹不已的是古代的烧砖技术。不仅仅是古城墙，有不少历朝历代的古建筑都保存了下来，而建造它们的主体就是这青砖。然而古代明明烧得出红砖，为什么古代建筑使用的大都是青砖呢？
At the same time, another thing that amazes us is the ancient brick burning technology. Not only the ancient city wall, many ancient buildings of all dynasties have been preserved, and the main body of building them is this blue brick.
However, in ancient times, red bricks were obviously burned. Why did most of the ancient buildings use blue bricks?
一、青砖自身的优越性
青砖和红砖相比有什么不同呢？其实青砖的建造工艺比红砖难得多，而且它们的原料也是有差异的。红砖主要是用粘土、页岩以及煤矸石等原料，将它们粉碎后，混合捏成，只要在九百摄氏度的情况下就可以烧制成功。而青砖却不一样，它的原料主要是粘土，而且至少要到一千摄氏度才能成功。
What is the difference between blue brick and red brick? In fact, the construction process of blue bricks is much more difficult than that of red bricks, and their raw materials are also different. Red bricks are mainly made of clay, shale, coal gangue and other raw materials.
别看九百摄氏度和一千摄氏度相比，只是相差一百摄氏度，在古代科技落后的情况下，想要将窑洞里的温度提高一百摄氏度，也不是一件容易的事情。而且青砖和红砖相比，还多了一道工序。
Although the difference between 900 degrees Celsius and 1000 degrees Celsius is only 100 degrees Celsius, it is not easy to raise the temperature of the cave by 100 degrees Celsius under the backward conditions of ancient science and technology. And compared with red bricks, there is one more process.
红砖是用大火烧制成功后，等熄火了自然冷却，因为窑洞里空气流通，氧气比较充足，所以红砖里面的铁元素得到充分的氧化，最终就形成了我们看到的红色。而青砖却并非这样，等到砖坯烧透后，会直接往窑洞里淋水。
The red bricks are naturally cooled after the fire is extinguished. Because the air in the cave is circulated and the oxygen is sufficient, the iron element in the red bricks is fully oxidized and finally forms the red color we see. However, the blue bricks are not like this.
因为窑洞里的温度很高，淋进去的水很快变成了水蒸气，这样一来就阻隔了空气流通，不利于青砖里面的铁氧化。而在缺氧的情况下，砖块里面的三氧化二铁最终还原成了氧化亚铁，所以最终成了我们看到的青色。
Because the temperature in the cave is very high, the water drenched into the cave quickly turns into water vapor, which blocks the air circulation and is not conducive to the oxidation of iron in the blue bricks. In the absence of oxygen, the iron oxide in the brick is finally reduced to ferrous oxide, so it finally becomes the cyan color we see.
青砖因为这多出来的一道工序，使得它有很好的耐风化，耐水特点。所以每当我们到旅游景点观赏那些古代建筑物时，都能看到用青砖造成的房屋，它们历经千年的风雨侵蚀，却能依然屹立在我们面前，这足以展示青砖的优越性。
Because of this extra process, blue brick has good weathering and water resistance. Therefore, whenever we go to the tourist attractions to see those ancient buildings, we can see the houses made of blue bricks. They can still stand in front of us after thousands of years of wind and rain.
青砖不仅仅是抗风化和抗水能力强，它还十分坚硬，是古代防御的好材料，这也是为什么我们看到的古城墙几乎都是青砖所造。
Blue brick is not only strong in weathering and water resistance, but also very hard. It is a good material for ancient defense. This is why almost all the ancient city walls we see are made of blue brick.
二、阴阳五行的影响
在先秦时期，阴阳五行说便十分盛行，而后在历代发展下，还逐渐衍生出了风水之类的学说，而这也影响了古人对青砖的喜爱。
In the pre Qin period, the theory of Yin-Yang and five elements was very popular, and then under the development of the past dynasties, the theory of geomancy and other theories gradually emerged, which also affected the ancients' love for blue bricks.
在阴阳五行的理论里，青色是属于水的，而红色是属于火。在中国人的心中，水是最高尚的美德。老子曾经在《道德经》中说：“上善若水，水利万物而不争”，所以人们很容易便接受将青砖作为自己的住在材料。
In the theory of Yin Yang and five elements, cyan belongs to water, while red belongs to fire. In the hearts of the Chinese people, water is the most noble virtue. Lao Tzu once said in the Tao Te Ching that "the highest good is like water.
按照阴阳五行来划分，秦朝属于水，所以当时的社会上的风格便是尚黑，而大秦帝国因此也使用了各种青砖来作建筑物。这些建筑物看上去非常的庄严壮观。后来便有了一个词，叫做秦砖汉瓦，意思就是说秦朝的砖和汉朝的瓦是最好的。所以，慢慢的青砖便逐渐流行了起来。
According to the Yin-Yang and five elements, the Qin Dynasty belonged to water, so the social style at that time was black, and the Qin Empire also used various blue bricks for buildings. These buildings look very magnificent.
同时，在阴阳五行里，火主心，一般说心火，就是指人们心里的火气大了，心里有了烦恼。可见这火不是个好东西。而红色自然也就不会被古人选作为房屋住宅的颜色。五行相生相克，其中水刚好克火，而代表水的青色自然就更容易受到人们的喜爱。
At the same time, in the five elements of yin and Yang, fire dominates the heart. Generally speaking, heart fire refers to people's anger and worry. It can be seen that the fire is not a good thing. And red will not be chosen as the color of houses and houses by the ancients.
从这里我们可以看出，古代的五行、风水等因素，对青砖的发展影响很大。水生万物，至今人们对于青色还是十分喜欢。
From here we can see that the ancient five elements, geomantic omen and other factors have a great impact on the development of blue bricks. All things in the water, people still like cyan very much.
三、传统审美的影响
我国古代大多数朝代都是比较喜欢素雅的风格，而这离不开儒家思想的影响。从汉武帝“罢黜百家，独尊儒术”开始，儒家文化变成了中华名族的主流文化，而儒家思想更是对我们民族的发展产生深远影响，这些对青砖的发展也有所影响。
Most dynasties in ancient China preferred simple and elegant style, which could not be separated from the influence of Confucianism. Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty "deposed a hundred schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone".
儒家文化推崇简朴、“中庸”，而红砖的颜色却是这样的绚丽。在儒生看来，却是过于招摇刺眼，哪里比得上青砖的稳重、庄严更得士大夫的欢心呢？
Confucian culture advocates simplicity and the "golden mean", while the color of red bricks is so gorgeous. In the eyes of the Confucian scholars, it is too ostentatious and dazzling. How can it be compared with the steadiness and solemnity of the blue bricks and be more popular with the scholar officials?
那么青砖好看吗？很多人听到儒学士大夫喜欢稳重的颜色，肯定会以为青砖是呆板木讷的样子，十分乏味，其实并不是这样。虽然青砖的颜色比不上红砖夺目，可论起“美貌”，却是丝毫不差。古代的青砖也是有很多种，并不全是单一的青色，而是带有各种花纹和图案，在稳重庄严中不乏精致美观。
Is the blue brick good-looking? Many people will think that the blue bricks are dull and dull when they hear that the scholars and doctors like stable colors. In fact, they are not. Although the color of the blue brick is not as eye-catching as that of the red brick.
四、皇权下的选择
虽然青砖的确很美丽精致，而且还种类繁多，可是如果有人就是更喜欢红砖，那他可以选择使用红砖而不是青砖吗？这自然是要冒着很大的风险的。
Although the blue bricks are really beautiful and exquisite, and there are many kinds, if someone prefers red bricks, can he choose to use red bricks instead of blue bricks? This naturally involves a great risk.
我们都知道，中国古代历朝历代几乎都是尚红色贵红色的习惯，大红色更是一向被看作是正统，是身份的象征，所以帝王更是对红色爱不释手。于是这古代帝王就正大光明地宣布，这个红色只能我用，宫墙更是正宗的朱砂红色。在一片青砖房宅中，自然而然凸显出皇宫的不同，朱红的宫墙是皇权的代表。
As we all know, almost all the dynasties in ancient China had the habit of advocating red and precious red. The big red has always been regarded as orthodox and a symbol of identity. Therefore, the emperors love red.
所以官员和平民不是不想，而是不能，哪怕心里再喜欢那红砖头，也不会跟自己的小命过不去，非要去折腾。不过也是有例外，比如在山高皇帝远的福建闽南，部分地区就大量使用了红砖。
Therefore, officials and civilians do not want to, but can not. Even if they like the red brick in their hearts, they will not have to struggle with their own lives and have to struggle. However, there are exceptions. For example, in Southern Fujian, where the mountain is high and the emperor is far away, red bricks are widely used in some areas.
不过民间使用的红砖和皇帝御用的红砖烧制秘法是不一样的，并且相对于青砖来说，民间的红砖烧制过程简易，成本低，但是密度不高，疏松易碎，而青砖则要实用得多。想必这就是为什么中国古代主要使用青砖吧。
However, the red bricks used by the people are different from the red bricks used by the emperor. Compared with the blue bricks, the folk red bricks are simple and low-cost, but the density is not high, loose and fragile, while the blue bricks are much more practical.
其实在古代也不是所有的普通人都能用得起青砖，只有那些经济能力不错的人才舍得花钱买青砖建房子。对于这些人来说，虽然青砖因为自身的实用性而更贵些，但是他们完全负担得起，自然是不会去选择品质更差的红砖了，要不然就成了“有失身份”。
In fact, in ancient times, not all ordinary people could afford blue bricks. Only those with good economic ability could afford to buy blue bricks to build houses. For these people, although the blue bricks are more expensive because of their practicality.
而那些普通的老百姓，一天到晚都忙着挣口粮，他们住的几乎都是灰扑扑的土坯房，即便红砖要实惠些，也不是他们可以消费得起的。所以对于古代人来说，有钱的都去选择价格贵的青砖，贫穷的连便宜的红砖都买不起，买得起红砖的又得顾虑皇权至上，最终还是选择了青砖。想必青砖的千年不衰，正是历史的选择吧。
And those ordinary people are busy earning food all day long. They live in dusty Adobe houses. Even if the red bricks are more affordable, they can not afford it. Therefore, for the ancient people, the rich chose the expensive blue bricks.
总结
所谓“秦砖汉瓦”，青砖在中国流行了数千年，凭借的不仅仅是它耐水、耐风化以及坚硬的实用性。同样也离不开它繁美复杂的外观，有着众多种类可以供世人挑选。而这些无一不体现了中国古代劳动人民的智慧，是我们古人劳动的结晶。
The so-called "Qin brick and Han tile" has been popular in China for thousands of years, relying on its water resistance, weathering resistance and hard practicality. It is also inseparable from its complex appearance, and there are many kinds to choose from.
而如今数千年过去，前人早已不在，我们却能凭借那些青砖上的点点痕迹，探测千年之前发生的种种，不禁让人感叹不已。这些流传至今的青砖，都是咱们历史的见证者，见证着咱们民族的变迁发展。
But now, thousands of years have passed, and our predecessors are long gone. However, we can rely on the little traces on those blue bricks to detect all kinds of things that happened thousands of years ago, which can not help but make people sigh.
