Hetian Nine Halls and Eighteen Courtyards

Hetian Nine Halls and Eighteen Courtyards

The Nine Halls and Eighteen Courtyards is situated in Tongsushu Natural Village, Baoshan Village, Hetian Town. It is a traditional mansion-style ancient building, initially built during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, covering a land area of 20,000 square meters and a built-up area of 8,000 square meters. The main structures include a gate tower, the main house, and left and right wing rooms, making up a total of nine buildings with nine halls and eighteen courtyards. Outside the house, by the pool courtyard, stand two flagstone bases, and there is a semicircular pond in front of the house covering an area of 900 square meters. In December 2004, it was designated as a cultural relics protection unit of Shanwei City. (Photo by Peng Guixiong)

The residence features nine halls and eighteen courtyards, consisting of the main house and left and right wing rooms, totaling nine buildings with 116 rooms. The overall width is 89 meters, the depth is 64 meters, and the land area is 5,696 square meters. All the timber used is from large Fujian fir, the roof tiles are locally produced gray clay tiles, and the walls are rammed earth with a mixture of lime, sand, and gravel. The roof is of the flush-gable type, featuring gable walls with "ear" motifs. The wall friezes of the main house are adorned with murals, and the beams feature carved floral patterns. The upper hall serves as an ancestral shrine with spirit tablets placed on the altar, while the lower hall displays plaques inscribed with “Simaji” (Officer’s Residence), “Trusted by the Village,” and “Blessed Abundance.” Each wing house has thick stone bars at both the northern and southern ends serving as railings to facilitate ventilation. In front of the house lies a large open area of 873 square meters, with a semicircular pond about 900 square meters in size just ahead of it. The Nine Halls and Eighteen Courtyards, where the clan lives together, is a typical example of Hakka residential architecture.

The Nine Halls and Eighteen Courtyards was built by Tenghui Gong, the 14th-generation ancestor of the Peng family in the village, during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. The large residence is arranged in a straight line facing south from the north, presenting an imposing sight. The structure is rigorously organized, and the craftsmanship is exquisite. At the time, to guard against clan conflicts, a wall was built at the southern end, with a wide and deep ditch outside and numerous gun loopholes densely distributed along the wall. A drinking water well was set inside one of the courtyards, and doors opening from east to west connect to internal walkways, which served both strategic purposes in commanding forces and facilitated daily water use. It is said that construction of this residence took over twenty years from the start of the project. Especially notable is the legendary cooperation between brothers, setting a timeless example.

Baoshan Village: Located in the northeastern part of Hetian Town, Luhe County, Baoshan Village enjoys high grain yields and convenient transportation. Covering an area of 5.4 square kilometers, it comprises 5 villager groups. The village has a total population of 2,757 and arable land of 1,148 mu. … Baoshan Village detailed information ++