![Lukang_Lung-shan_Temple_2004](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Lukang_Lung-shan_Temple_2004.jpg)
Hokkien architecture, also called Hoklo architecture or Minnan architecture, refers to the
architectural style
An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...
of the
Hoklo people
The Hoklo people or Hokkien people () are a Han Chinese (also Han Taiwanese) subgroup who speak Hokkien, a Southern Min language, or trace their ancestry to Southeastern Fujian, China and known by various endonyms or other related terms such a ...
, the
Han Chinese group who have historically been the dominant demographic of the Southern Chinese province of
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
(called "Hokkien" in the
Hoklo language),
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
, and
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
. This style shares many similarities with those of surrounding Han Chinese groups. There are, however, several features that are unique or mostly unique to Hoklo-made buildings, making many traditional buildings in Hokkien and Taiwan visually distinctive from those outside the region.
Minyue architecture
Prior to the annexation of the Minyue Kingdom by the Han dynasty, the region was inhabited by the
Minyue
Minyue () was an ancient kingdom in what is now the Fujian province in southern China. It was a contemporary of the Han dynasty, and was later annexed by the Han empire as the dynasty expanded southward. The kingdom existed approximately from ...
people, a branch of the
Baiyue
The Baiyue (, ), Hundred Yue, or simply Yue (; ), were various ethnic groups who inhabited the regions of East China, South China and Northern Vietnam during the 1st millennium BC and 1st millennium AD. They were known for their short hair, ...
aboriginals. The
Minyue State's Imperial City (Traditional Chinese: 閩越王城遺址) gave some clues about what their architectural style was like.
Swallowtail roof
![Tojin-yashiki](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Tojin-yashiki.jpg)
Swallowtail roof (Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ìnn-bé-tsiah; Traditional Chinese: 燕尾脊, literally "swallowtail ridge") is a feature rarely (if at all) seen in non-Hoklo Han Chinese architecture. It is very common in Hokkien and Taiwan. The term refers to a roof that has an upward-curving ridge shaped like the tail of a
swallow
The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...
. The degree of curving may vary. The "swallowtail" in question can be single- or double-layered and is typically decorated with a large amount of colorful carvings. This feature originated in 16th century (Ming Dynasty). At that time, Hoklo people were doing business with
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
,
Ryukyu
The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yonaguni ...
(
Ryūkyū-kan
were institutions serving as homes and bases of operations for Ryukyuan missions in early modern Fuzhou (Fujian province, China) and Kagoshima (Satsuma Domain, Japan).
Fuzhou
The Chinese ''Ryūkyū-kan'' (''Liúqiú guǎn'' in Mandarin Chines ...
) and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, and decided that they would like to show off their newfound wealth - resulting in this garish architectural style. Due to its bright and showy nature, this architectural feature is commonly found in major temples, mansions, and
ancestral hall
An ancestral shrine, hall or temple ( or , vi, Nhà thờ họ; Chữ Hán: 家祠户), also called lineage temple, is a temple dedicated to deified ancestors and progenitors of surname lineages or families in the Chinese tradition. Ancestra ...
s.
File:Zhangzhou Nanshan Si 20120225-4.jpg, Mahavira Hall of Nanshan Temple, Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou (), alternately romanized as Changchow, is a prefecture-level city in Fujian Province, China. The prefecture around the city proper comprises the southeast corner of the province, facing the Taiwan Strait and surrounding the prefec ...
, Fujian.
File:Singang Fengtian Temple 20081012.jpg, Fengtian Temple, a prominent Mazu temple in Chiayi City
Chiayi (, Taiwanese Hokkien, Taigi Pe̍h-ōe-jī, POJ: ''Ka-gī''; ), officially known as Chiayi City, is a Provincial city (Taiwan), city located in the plains of southwestern Taiwan. Formerly called ''Kagee'' during the late Qing dynasty and ...
, Taiwan.
File:Li teng-fang Historical Home ,TAIWAN.jpg, Lee Teng-fan's Ancient Residence
The Lee Teng-fan's Ancient Residence () is a former residence in Yuemei Village, Daxi District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China S ...
, Taoyuan. Many Hakka clans in Taiwan adopted Minnan architecture.
File:鎮福社.JPG, A shrine dedicated to Tudigong
Tudigong ( "Lord of the Soil and the Ground") or Tudishen ( "God of the Soil and the Ground"), also known simply as Tudi ( "Soil-Ground") is a tutelary deity of a locality and the human communities who inhabit it in Chinese folk religion and Tao ...
, a Chinese Earth Deity, in Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsi ...
, Taiwan; It is an example of a less garish swallowtail roof.
File:Thian Hock Keng Temple - entrance.jpg, Thian Hock Keng Temple
Thian Hock Keng. & ( or the Tianfu Temple, literally "Palace of Heavenly Happiness"), is a temple built for the worship of Mazu, a Chinese sea goddess, located in Singapore. It is the oldest and most important temple of the Hokkien (Hoklo) p ...
, dedicated to Mazu, one of the oldest Hokkien temple in Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
.
File:Penang Malaysia Leong-San-Tong-Khoo-Kongsi-02.jpg, Khoo Kongsi
The Khoo Kongsi is a large Chinese clanhouse with elaborate and highly ornamented architecture, a mark of the dominant presence of the Chinese in Penang, Malaysia. The famous Khoo Kongsi is the grandest clan temple in the country. It is also on ...
in Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
.
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM De Chinese Tempel te Makassar op Celebes. TMnr 60013074.jpg, Historical image of a Mazu Temple in Makassar
Makassar (, mak, ᨆᨀᨔᨑ, Mangkasara’, ) is the capital of the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, Surabaya, Med ...
, Sulawesi
Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. The building was burned in 1997 during anti-Chinese riot in the city. The temple was being rebuilt and renamed as ''Vihara Ibu Agung Bahari''.
File:Chonghocktong.jpg, Chong Hock Tong Temple at the Manila Chinese Cemetery
The Manila Chinese Cemetery (; es, Cementerío para chinos) is the second oldest cemetery in Manila after La Loma Cemetery. The cemetery includes Christian, Buddhist and Taoist burials. The present-day cemetery is a vaguely trapezoidal area of a ...
in Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
Cut porcelain carving
Cut porcelain carving (Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tsián-huî-tiau; Traditional Chinese: 剪瓷雕, literally "cut porcelain carving") is also prevalent among Hoklo architecture and, to a lesser extent,
Vietnamese architecture. Traditionally, Hoklo porcelain artists would often gather small colored porcelain artifacts (such as bowls and other eating utensils), cut and/or grind them into smaller fragments, and then paste these fragments onto sculptures attached to buildings for the purpose of decoration. This art is frequently used on the ridges, window frames, and doors of temples and larger residences, often in conjunction with swallowtail roof. The topic of these sculptures may vary - ranging from plants and animals to figures from
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions.
Much of t ...
or
Hoklo folktales
The Hoklo people or Hokkien people () are a Han Chinese (also Han Taiwanese) subgroup who speak Hokkien, a Southern Min language, or trace their ancestry to Southeastern Fujian, China and known by various endonyms or other related terms su ...
. In Taiwan, a new style has even been formed by combining cut porcelain carving with
cochin ware
Cochin ware or Kochi ware or Jiaozhi ware () is a type of Chinese pottery from Guangdong Province, southern China.
History
Koji pottery was brought to Taiwan in the 19th century.
The English term "Cochin" derives from the Taiwanese Pronoucia ...
.
File:Ximen Memorial Temple of Lord Guan 08 2013-09.JPG, A Chinese dragon
The Chinese dragon, also known as ''loong'', ''long'' or ''lung'', is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture at large. Chinese dragons have many Outline of life forms, animal-like forms such as Bixi (my ...
sculpture on the roof of Amoy Memorial Temple of Lord Guan, Amoy
Xiamen ( , ; ), also known as Amoy (, from Hokkien pronunciation ), is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Strait. It is divided into six districts: Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an, ...
, Hokkien.
File:Nanfeng Ancestral Temple 11 2013-09.JPG, Cut porcelain carving decorations above the main door of Nanfeng Ancestral Temple.
File:北埔 慈天宮 屋瓦.JPG, Cut porcelain carving decorations on Beipu Citian Temple
The Beipu Citian Temple () is a Buddhist temple in Beipu Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan.
History
The Taiwanese aborigines had been a fierce rebel force in the early days in the development of Beipu. In order to pray for peace within the local ...
, Hsinchu County, Taiwan.
Hokkien Sanheyuan
Sanheyuan
''Sanheyuan'' (Chinese: ; pinyin: ''sānhéyuàn''; Wade–Giles: ''san1-ho2-yüan4'') is a historical type of residence that was commonly found throughout China and Taiwan. ''Sanheyuan'' have structures on three sides of a courtyard, forming an ...
(Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Sam-ha̍h-īnn; Traditional Chinese: 三合院, literally "Three-combo building") is a type of building found throughout most of the
Greater China region
Greater China is an informal geographical area that shares commercial and cultural ties with the Han Chinese, Han Chinese people. The notion of "Greater China" refers to the area that usually encompasses Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Tai ...
. They are residences with structures on three sides of a courtyard, forming an inverted U-shape. While this style is shared by nearly all Han Chinese groups, Hokkien Sanheyuan have been noted by their usage of multiple wings (called "protecting dragons" in Taiwan) to spread outward, a trait quite distinctive to Hoklo Sanheyuan.
Têng-á-kha
Têng-á-kha (Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Têng-á-kha; Traditional Chinese: 亭仔跤) is a style of architecture found in much of
Southern China
South China () is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is that most of its citizens are not n ...
and is considered the Hokkien counterpart to the Cantonese
tong lau
Tong lau or ke lau are tenement buildings built in late 19th century to the 1960s in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southern China, and Southeast Asia. Designed for both residential and commercial uses, they are similar in style and function to the shophouse ...
. It is a style that incorporates elements from
Western European
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
architecture, arising slowly in late 18th century due to the Hokkien contact with Western European culture in Southeast Asia. A typical têng-á-kha has a ground floor used for running some sort of business (such as a grocery store) and upper floors that are used for residential purposes. Amoy's têng-á-khas are said to be marked by having pink and white as main colorings, use of streets full of têng-á-khas such as markets, and the distribution of têng-á-khas in net-like structures. The city of Chinchew has also been noted for having a well-preserved set of têng-á-khas.
File:Zhongshanrd.jpg, Zhongshan Road, Amoy, is filled with têng-á-khas.
File:原林百貨店-1.jpg, The Hayasi Department Store in Tainan, Taiwan, is also considered a good example of têng-á-kha.
File:Calle Rosario, Manila, Philippines, 1915.png, Calle Rosario(Modern Quintin Paredes St.), Binondo
Binondo () is a district in Manila and is referred to as the city's Chinatown. Its influence extends beyond to the places of Quiapo, Santa Cruz, San Nicolas and Tondo. It is the oldest Chinatown in the world, established in 1594 by the ...
, Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, 1915.
Others
Hokkien earthen buildings
![初溪土楼群](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/%E5%88%9D%E6%BA%AA%E5%9C%9F%E6%A5%BC%E7%BE%A4.jpg)
Hokkien earthen buildings (Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hok-kiàn thóo-lâu; Traditional Chinese: 福建土樓, literally "Hokkien earthen building"), called "Fujian Tulou" in
Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin (; ) is a group of Chinese (Sinitic) dialects that are natively spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. The group includes the Beijing dialect, the basis of the phonology of Standard Chinese, the official language of ...
, is another distinct type of architecture found in the Hokkien region. It is a set of large, enclosed and fortified earth buildings associated with the
Hakka people
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhe ...
, who speak the
Hakka language
Hakka (, , ) forms a language group of varieties of Chinese, spoken natively by the Hakka people throughout Southern China and Taiwan and throughout the diaspora areas of East Asia, Southeast Asia and in overseas Chinese communities around th ...
, rather than Hoklo. However, it has been noted that this style of architecture is found almost exclusively among Hakka people in
Fujian province
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its cap ...
and thus has become associated with the region.
[Joseph Needham, Science and civilisation in China V4 pt3. p. 133-134, 1971 Cambridge University Press]
In Modern Architecture
See also
*
Architecture of Taiwan The architecture of Taiwan can be traced back to stilt house, stilt housing of the aborigines in prehistory, prehistoric times; to the building of fortresses and churches in the north and south used to colonize and convert the inhabitants during the ...
*
Architecture of Singapore
The architecture of Singapore displays a range of influences and styles from different places and periods. These range from the eclectic styles and hybrid forms of the colonial period to the tendency of more contemporary architecture to incorpo ...
*
Cantonese architecture
Lingnan architecture (), or Cantonese architecture, refers to the characteristic architectural style(s) of the Lingnan region – the Southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi. Usually, it is referring to the architecture associated ...
*
Hakka architecture
A Hakka walled village ( zh, 围龙屋) is a large multi-family communal living structure that is designed to be easily defensible. This building style is unique to the Hakka people found in southern China. Walled villages are typically designed ...
*
Architecture of Jiangxi
Architecture of Jiangxi refers to the traditional masonry houses, residential compounds, monuments, and academies built in Jiangxi of East China.
Overview
The architecture of Jiangxi is renowned for its exterior and interior design, relating to ...
*
Chinese architecture
Chinese architecture (Chinese:中國建築) is the embodiment of an architectural style that has developed over millennia in China and it has influenced architecture throughout Eastern Asia. Since its emergence during the early ancient era, the ...
References
Bibliography
*
Minnan architecture
Architecture in China
Chinese architectural styles
News articles
* {{cite news
, title = Exhibition sheds light on architectural influence between Fujian, Singapore
, publisher =
The Straits Times
''The Straits Times'' is an English-language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore and currently owned by SPH Media Trust (previously Singapore Press Holdings). ''The Sunday Times'' is its Sunday edition. The newspaper was established ...
(online)
, date = 2019-10-28
, url = https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/exhibition-sheds-light-on-architectural-influence-between-fujian-spore
, access-date = 2022-07-09