Hakka Wall House Construction Techniques (Gannan Hakka Enclosed Houses)

Gannan Hakka enclosed house building techniques involve constructing defensive, clan-oriented dwellings using limited flat land and local materials, combined with unique craftsmanship and site selection. Longnan County, Jiangxi, preserves 376 diverse enclosed houses, renowned for their large number, variety, and good condition, making them key representatives of Hakka residential culture.

Longnan enclosed houses vary greatly in form and scale, including designs like 国 (guó), 口 (kǒu), 回 (huí), and irregular shapes, with areas ranging from 200㎡ to over 10,000㎡. Guanxi Xinwei is one of the most magnificent examples. These structures function as fortresses, integrating homes, castles, ancestral halls, meeting halls, and central plazas (e.g., horse-training grounds), covering various living needs. Most are two or three stories, often located in basin centers. Construction uses sanhetu (lime, clay, sand, and gravel mixed with tung oil and rammed). Walls are reinforced with precise ratios of brown sugar, egg whites, glutinous rice, and pebble “skeletons” for strength. Soil is carefully fermented to avoid shrinking or cracking. “Gold-silver” masonry (external brick/stone, internal earth) ensures solidity.

The unique historical and geographic context enhanced their defense: protruding corners, rooftop watchtowers, thick anti-digging foundations, narrow internal-wide external shooting ports, iron-clad multi-layered gates, hidden wells, and peripheral trenches, making them secure and hard to assault.

From the Jin to Tang-Song periods, Han people migrated south from Central China. To defend against bandits and wild animals, Hakka communities lived together in fortified enclosed houses, with building techniques passed down through families.

Exemplified by Longnan, Gannan Hakka enclosed houses showcase outstanding structural art and profound cultural meaning. They are a key part of China’s traditional residential architecture and a comprehensive vehicle of Hakka culture, providing valuable material for studying Hakka development and holding significant historical, artistic, scientific, and socio-cultural value.