The Chenlian Residence

The Chenlian Residence

The Chenlian Residence is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The Chenlian Walled House is located in Chenlian Village, Mulan Township, Shicheng County, and is a typical example of ancient Hakka residential architecture. This walled house was built during the Qing Dynasty's Daoguang era by a wealthy local family surnamed Wen. It covers an area of 2,400 square meters, with a built-up area of over 5,000 square meters.

This walled house is uniquely distinctive, integrating four major architectural styles: the square-walled compound, courtyard-style dwellings, mansion-style residences, and the garden aesthetics of Suzhou and Hangzhou. It consists of ninety-nine and a half rooms, all built with a brick-and-wood structure. The first-floor passageways are paved with cobblestone and bluestone slabs, while the second floor features wooden elevated corridors that twist and turn through secluded pathways. The layout is highly rational, with the entire structure arranged in a square-shaped, enclosed “回” (return) pattern. The walls are coated with lime plaster and adorned with vividly colored paintings. All eaves are designed in the shape of Guanyin brackets (Dougong), and the wooden structures feature many exquisitely detailed painted and carved patterns. The inner wall windows come in over ten different floral lattice designs, with finely carved window frames, showcasing exceptional architectural craftsmanship. The outermost walls are made of earthen construction, enclosing the inner walls and creating the appearance of a square-walled compound from the outside.

The Chenlian Residence was originally built during the Qing Dynasty's Daoguang era by a prominent family surnamed Wen. The entire structure covers an area of 2,193.75 square meters, with a built-up area of over 4,100 square meters, and contains over a hundred rooms of various sizes. There are only three entrances and exits, making it a closed-loop, square-shaped, elevated corridor-style building. The wall foundations and window frames are constructed from granite strips, while the exterior walls are built using a mixture of yellow mud, sandstone, lime, brown sugar, and rice soup, resulting in exceptional sturdiness. Some inner walls and gate towers are constructed with blue bricks. The upturned eaves feature Dougong bracket structures, with various painted patterns adorning the eave edges. The window lattices are uniquely designed, reflecting the garden architectural style of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region. The gate towers, corridors, walls, and beams are richly decorated with carvings and paintings of dragons, phoenixes, historical figures, birds, beasts, flowers, and plants—all crafted with exquisite skill and vivid imagery.

The entire structure boasts a unique shape, rational design, classic elegance, majestic presence, and prominently displays the profound artistry of ancient Hakka architecture. In March 2018, it was designated as part of the sixth batch of cultural relic protection units of Jiangxi Province.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province