From Huguang to Bashu: Types and Characteristics of Vernacular Courtyard Houses in the Bashu Region from the Perspective of Migration

The historical migration policy of ‘Huguang tian Sichuan’ (Huguang filling Sichuan) in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties (c. 16th–17th centuries) had a significant impact on the architecture of the Bashu region (Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality centred around the Sichuan Basin). This article first distinguishes the geographical distribution of the indigenous Sichuan communities and the migrant communities based on dialect zoning. It then identifies the architectural prototypes of the indigenous vernacular courtyard houses in the Bashu region through historical images, field investigations, and the characteristics of migrant architecture. It reveals that these vernacular dwellings demonstrate distinctive features from their original regions. Upon these research outcomes, the article categorises the vernacular courtyard houses in the Bashu region into three prototypes, related to those built by the indigenous communities, migrant communities from the Lianghu region (Hubei and Hunan provinces), and those from the Hakka areas in the Minyuegan region (Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi provinces), respectively. The emergence of these three prototypes and their evolution in the Bashu region demonstrate the interactions between architectural cultures in different dialect zones, the exchanges between the indigenous and migrant communities, and the migrants’ adaptation to the local conditions. Finally, the article examines the Chen Family Residence in Jiangjin, Chongqing, pointing out that the baoting (embraced pavilion) space in the courtyard, which connects the halls and forms the primary ceremonial space along the central axis, evolved from the youting (pavilion) in central Hunan Province from which the Chen family migrated in the early Qing Dynasty. It is a compelling architectural evidence of the migration activities prompted by the ‘Huguang tian Sichuan’ policy.