When exploring old streets in Beijing or other ancient towns, one may notice the isolated wall either outside or just inside the gate of a traditional Chinese courtyard. Known as a "screen wall" in English, it is called yingbi or zhaobi in Chinese. It can be made of any material-brick, wood, stone or glazed tile.

The screen wall dates back to at least the Western Zhou Dynasty (11 century B. C. to 771 B.C.). Archaeologists have discovered in recent years the remains of a screen wall from the Zhou Dynasty tombs in Shaanxi Province. It measures 240 cm long and 20 cm high. This is the earliest known wall of its kind in China.

In ancient times, the screen wall was a symbol of rank. According to the Western Zhou system of rites, only royal palaces, noblemen's mansions and religious temples could have a screen wall. Apart from keeping passers-by from peeping into the courtyard, the screen wall could also be used by the visitor, who would get out of his carriage and, standing behind the wall, tidy up his dress before going in. It was not until much later that private houses (mainly the quadrangles of bungalows in the northern parts of the country) began to have screen walls.

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