A cave dwelling is a special "structure", a useful space formed not by addition, but by subtraction, i.e., Subtracting certain things in nature .The Loess plateau is prevalent in the northwest and its neighboring regions, with the depth of the loess extending from 1oo to 2O0 meters. With little seepage and a very strong vertical nature, this provides a very good precondition for the development of cave dwellings. At the same time, the natural condition of dry weather, little rain, cold winter and limited timber also creates an opportunity for the development and continuity of cave dwellings which are warm in winter, cool in summer, very economical and require no timber in construction.

There are three kinds-cliff, ground and hoop cave dwellings.

The cliff cave dwelling is an earth cave dug horizontally along the vertical earth cliff. Each cave is about 3-4 meters wide and 5-9 meters deep. The straight wall is about 2-3 meters high. The top of the cave is dug into a semi-circular or slotted barrel arch. The various caves can lead to each other through tunnels between them. It is also possible to add another cave upon the cave, and the upper and lower caves can be linked to each other through a passage.

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