In Baikeng Village, Puning, Jieyang City in eastern Guangdong, a cluster of traditional Chaoshan residential buildings stands in tight, orderly rows.
This architectural type is one of the most common traditional residential forms in the Chaoshan region. Known as "Tiger Coming Downhill (下山虎) Houses", they are named after their distinctive layout. Each dwelling is arranged as a three-sided courtyard structure. The standard layout features a main hall flanked by two large rooms, a central courtyard and two smaller wing rooms, one on each side.
The architectural analogy extends to every part of the house. The main gate represents the tiger's mouth, the courtyard its throat and the rear hall its belly. The two front-wing rooms are likened to the tiger's forelegs. Together, these elements resemble a tiger poised to come down from the mountains.
Baikeng Village, where this cluster is situated, has recently undergone restoration work on its traditional houses, with local authorities and construction firms carrying out preservation work on features such as stone carvings and ceramic inlays.
Author | Feng Huiting
Video | IP Shanghai × IP Guangdong creator: 城芝士
