China Hakka's residences-Variation of architectural style on their migration

2007 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 17404019
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Architectural history/design
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of the Arts
• Principal Investigator: KATAYAMA Kazutoshi Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Professor (10015290)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ONOBORI Seiichi Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Professor (60152550)
• Project Period (FY): 2005 – 2007
• Keywords: China / Hakka / Soil architecture / Guangdong / Fujian / Jiangxi / residence

Research Abstract

This series of three-year research program, consisting of research in the south part of Fujian in 2006, interview and location surveying of Hakka's residences in north of Guangdong in 2007, and in 2008, location surveying of Hakka's residences remaining in the Hong Kong suburb and the surrounding of Shenzhen city in Guangdong, and an international workshop took place through collaboration between Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music department of architecture and The University of Hong Kong department of architecture.
This report was written based on results of the research program as mentioned above.
In the first two years of the research program, each of the region surveyed showed impact of modernization and rapid economic development in China.
With the development of the metropolis and city centers of the various provinces on one hand, and the Hakka's residences remaining at the surrounding regions on the other, there are a lot of abandoned houses and dwelling areas devasta ted by haphazard reconstruction. While the landscape created by the cultural climate and lifestyle which was once seen in Hakka's residences and villages is disappearing rapidly, a few attempts to reuse the residences and villages as a museum were seen. There were also residences that were being reconstructed to become accommodation facilities.
There are solutions of renovation that are simple yet problematic with respect to the perspective of protecting cultural assets, however there is a need to consider the succession of the living-heritage as a factor because of the vast and rapid degeneration and deformation of the area.
Through such a process of survey and research of the Hakka's residences, further to conserving the physical record of the living-heritage, we felt a need to consider the future succession of the residences. As a conclusion to the research, a workshop with The University of Hong Kong department of architecture was held.
In this workshop, besides the presentation of our research, in cooperation with Professor Naonori Matsuda of The University of Hong Kong department of architecture, teachers and students in both schools made a variety of proposals for Hakka's succession and exchanged opinions about what Hakka's residences and villages should be.
Through this research program, we have been able to increase the awareness regarding the conservation of the living-heritage across the country and create a cornerstone for future Japan-China academic exchange.