Zhong Family Walled House

Zhong Family Walled House

The Zhong Family Walled House is a cultural heritage site protected by Jiaoling County.

The Zhong Family Walled House is located at Jiudong, Legan Village, Guangfu Town, Jiaoling County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province. According to local Zhong family members such as Zhong Jinfa, it was built during the Qing Dynasty. The structure faces east and is situated to the west. It consists of main halls and wing rooms, arranged in a layout of nine halls, two wings, and two end rooms, with a single-entry, five-bay configuration. The total width is 35.8 meters, the depth is 111 meters, comprising a total of 193 rooms, covering an area of approximately 3,973.8 square meters, with a built-up area of about 4,916.8 square meters. It features a flush-gable roof, gray-tiled roofing, sand-lime mixed stone wall foundations, rammed earth walls reinforced with lime-soil, and wooden brackets. The main hall is divided into upper and lower sections—five upper halls and four lower halls—separated by a central courtyard. The lower four halls: The main gate is fitted with a bluestone lintel and frame, adorned with shallow relief carvings of auspicious clouds above the frame. The first hall has a circular stone base with wooden pillars supporting a screen partition. The left and right corridors between the first and second halls are symmetrical, with a square central courtyard. The second hall has collapsed. The left and right corridors between the second and third halls are symmetrical, with a slightly elongated central courtyard. The third hall is an open hall. The left and right corridors between the third and fourth halls are symmetrical, with a slightly smaller central courtyard. The fourth hall is also an open hall. The upper five halls are two-story structures, consisting of three front halls and one end room in the front section, and two rear halls and one end room in the rear section. The front three halls: The main gate has a bluestone threshold with a wooden frame. The lower hall is supported by circular stone bases and wooden pillars, featuring a post-and-lintel wooden beam system and an intricately patterned horizontal screen. The left and right corridors between the lower and middle halls are symmetrical, with post-and-lintel beams and a central courtyard paved with pebbles in a decorative pattern. The middle hall is supported by multiple circular stone bases and wooden pillars and includes a screen partition. The left and right corridors between the middle and upper halls are symmetrical, with wooden screens and a central courtyard paved with pebble patterns. The upper hall is an open space. The rear two halls: The main gate has a bluestone threshold with a wooden frame. The lower hall is an open space. The left and right corridors between the lower and upper halls are symmetrical, with a central courtyard. The upper hall is supported by a circular stone base and multiple wooden pillars, featuring an intricately patterned wooden screen. Each of the left and right wing rooms has a private hall. The central part of the left wing room features a north-facing main gate, which serves as the primary entrance for residents. From west to east, the house includes nine halls with nine separate roof ridges, locally referred to as the “Nine Buildings.” It is relatively large in scale, uniquely structured, and rationally laid out—features that are quite rare within Jiaoling County. It holds certain value for studying the architectural culture of Hakka gan-style walled houses from the Qing Dynasty and the harmonious communal living of Hakka families. In 2012, it was approved by the People’s Government of Jiaoling County as a fifth batch county-level cultural heritage site.

Source: Jiaoling County Museum

Legan Village: Located in Guangfu Town, Jiaoling County, Meizhou City, Legan Village administers 16 villager groups, with 513 registered households and a population of 1,813. The village covers a total area of 1.2 square kilometers, including 860 acres of arable land. The annual average temperature is 21.7°C, with annual rainfall of about 1,304.9 mm. The climate is characterized as a subtropical maritime monsoon climate, featuring long summers, short winters, high temperatures, long rainy seasons, ample sunlight, and abundant rainfall. Major cash crops include tobacco, kumquats, and grass jelly. The village’s distinctive economic income sources include… The detailed information of Legan Village ++