Research On The Formation And Development Of Hakka House In Meizhou

Meizhou is one of the main settlements of the Hakka people.It is not a one-size-fits-all place where the Hakkas live mainly.During the Qin and Han Dynasties,Zhao Tu merged with Guilin and Xiangjun counties and established the Nanyue Kingdom.The population of the Central Plains region migrated here.During the Wei Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties,due to wars and government policy support,the northern population migrated to the Yangtze River basin in large numbers,which led to the first climax of the population migration to th south in the history of China.During the late Tang and Five Dynasties,the Hakka ancestors who originally lived in the Yangtze River Valley began to migrate to the southeast coast.During the Song and Yuan Dynasties,due to the long-term development of the southeastern coast,it led to the population boom and the shortage of land.Hakka ancestors began to move to Meizhou and other places in northeastern Guangdong in order to survive.The Hakka ancestors who moved to Meizhou,in the face of the dominant local indigenous population developed and strengthened the ethnic group in order to survive.then chose a lifestyle of unity and solidarity jointly respond to disputes and intrusions.The unique geographical and cultural environment of the Meizhou area and the lifestyle of the Hakkas have led to the creation of a residential building with distinctive regional characteristics.As one of the Hakka residential houses,Weilongwu is a process of continuous integration and improvement.The structure and function of Wailongwu is a comprehensive reflection of social,political,economic,cultural and geographical factors.Before the Ming and Qing Dynasties,the construction of Hakka dwellings was mainly considered for its defensive function.Most of the surrounding houses were built on the hills,and they were safe and defensive,and the scale of the building was small,which was the embryonic stage of the house.During the Ming and Qing Dynasties,the Hakkas in the Meizhou area gradually stabilized and became the main ethnic group in the local society.Due to population growth,social stability,and economic development,a construction climax of the Wailong House was set off.During this period,the constuction sites of the Weilongwu in Meizhou began to change from the mountain to the water,and the defense function began to weaken.In the architectural style,the Confucian culture and Fengshui culture of the Central Plains began to be combined with the local geographical environment.The house began to be shaped during this period,and some large-scale buildings have emerged.At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China,with the social changes,the Meizhou Hakkas began to make a living under the pressure of survival.During this period,the construction of the Wailongwu building began to absorb foreign cultures due to the development of overseas business people’s broadened horizon and the accumulation of wealth.The construction of the surrounding houses began to be influenced by Western architectural concepts and architectural styles.Eventually,some “Chinese and Western combined” featured Hakka special residences appeared.Residential buildings are the embodiment of social development.The development and improvement of the structure and function of residential buildings will further promote the progress of local society and the development of regional culture.As the main residential form of Hakka people in Meizhou area,Weilongwu directly affects the layout of local villages.The form of “living together with their own race ” and the family concept of “worshiping and attaching importance to education”are also important driving forces for local economic and cultural development.This article which combined with field investigations and other means comprehensively uses historical geography,anthropology,architecture and other related knowledge to deeply explore the formation and development process of Meizhou Hakka Wailongwu,and to provide useful reference for the protection of Wailongwu in the future.