Reconnecting Xing, Gou, Jing, Yi, and Hun: A Framework for Contemporary Heritage Transmission and Regeneration of Huizhou-Style Vernacular Dwellings

Abstract

This study seeks to construct a framework of contemporary inheritance and regeneration strategies for the “Xing, Gou, Jing, Yi, Hun” of Huizhou-style traditional vernacular dwellings. To this end, the research employs documentary analysis to systematically review the historical evolution, cultural connotations, and contemporary challenges of these dwellings. Based on field investigations conducted in representative Huizhou traditional villages, this study selects multiple typical vernacular dwellings as case studies, documenting their architectural form, timber structural systems, spatial organization, decorative craftsmanship, and associated cultural practices. Combined with case analysis, it conducts an in-depth examination of the architectural characteristics, spatial layout, structural logic, decorative artistry, and their embedded relationship with regional culture in Huizhou-style dwellings. Using the five analytical dimensions of “Xing, Gou, Jing, Yi, Hun” as a coding framework, a comparative research approach is adopted to analyze the continuities and ruptures between traditional dwellings and contemporary construction practices in the process of inheritance. The findings indicate that the contemporary inheritance of Huizhou-style dwellings often prioritizes the replication of architectural form (“Xing”) while neglecting structural systems (“Gou”), spatial conception (“Jing”), decorative artistry (“Yi”), and cultural connotations (“Hun”), resulting in a fragmentation of their original value system. The study argues that effective regeneration should transcend superficial stylistic imitation and return to the ontological relationships among these five dimensions. Specifically, regeneration should be guided by three operative principles: (1) revitalizing timber structural systems to re-establish a material and technical foundation for the “Three Carvings” art; (2) adaptively reprogramming traditional spatial configurations to respond to contemporary living needs while retaining their core spatial logic; and (3) interpreting and transmitting cultural connotations to sustain the spiritual continuity of Huizhou-style dwellings. The research outcome is a multidimensional analytical and strategic framework that identifies key indicators and intervention directions for each of the five dimensions, providing both theoretical support and practical guidance for the sustainable regeneration and living inheritance of Huizhou-style traditional vernacular dwellings in the context of rural modernization.