Beyond the Invariable Style: The Development of Residential Architecture in Yanxia Village, China

The study of historic Chinese architecture typically identifies the archetypes and commonalities that persist across periods and regions. This article offers a different perspective, emphasizing the evolution of spatial relations, spatial quality, and uses of space in vernacular houses in China. Drawing upon archival research, building surveys, and ethnographic fieldwork, it examines the development of residential architecture in Yanxia by studying five houses built between the mid-sixteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. It argues that the changing values and social status of residents, combined with the growth of pilgrimage activities, resulted in the introduction of new programs, spaces and ideas.