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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Hakka settlement in the middle ground

Figure 2. The model of Chinese middle ground. Source: Drawing by the authors

Figure 3. The per capita structural area of new rural housing at the end of the year (1982 – 2012). Source: Adapted from Lu & Jiang (2021)
define the identity of the minority Hakka people within a
majority Han region (Katayama, 2011).
This article focuses on four historically representative
Hakka villages in Lianping: He Xin Wu, Bai Yun Lou,
Cha Hu Er, and Da Hu Zhai. Unlike typical mountainous
Hakka settlements, these villages are situated in basin areas
surrounded by mountains, locally referred to as Zhongxin
Little Plain. Settlements are significantly influenced by
their environments (Tao et al., 2017). According to local
chorography, the advantageous geography around the
study villages has historically supported local agriculture,
Figure 4. Street landscape in the middle ground of the peripheral Pearl
River Delta. Source: Photo by the authors (2018) particularly paddy cultivation (Lianping County
Chorography Compilation Committee, 1985). This self-
as Wei Long Wu (围龙屋, meaning “Rounded Dragon sufficient agricultural system has been deeply intertwined
House”), were constructed in this area, shaping the rural with Hakka culture (Lin, 1995), and its transformation has
landscape of modern Guangdong. These traditional villages also reshaped contemporary Hakka society.
were structured according to ancient Fengshui principles 3.2. Research methodology
and based on clear social organization rooted in kinship
and clan culture. This bond between family hierarchy and In line with the research objective, fieldwork for this
village morphology remains alive today, continuing to study was conducted in the Hakka settlements between

Volume 7 Issue 1 (2025) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.3649