The Minnan traditional residential architecture. [Photo/fujian-szwhg.chaoxing.com]

The Minnan traditional residential construction craft, practiced in Xiamen city, Fujian province, is an architectural tradition. It was included in the fourth batch of China's national-level intangible cultural heritage (ICH) as a representative project in the traditional craftsmanship category. In 2009, it was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List under the "Traditional Chinese Timber-Frame Construction Craftsmanship" category.

The Minnan traditional residential construction craft in Xiamen have a long history, with documented records tracing this architectural tradition back to at least the Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty (1796–1820). It inherits the symmetrical and enclosed layout of traditional Chinese architecture and incorporates the local distinctive style. It stands as an outstanding representation of the current traditional construction techniques.

Xiamen Minnan traditional residential construction craft follows a systematic process. A geographer surveys the terrain and determines the orientation of the entire structure before construction begins. The carpenters draft the overall drawing, designs the height of the wooden structure, places doors and windows, lays out the kitchen, specify dimensions, materials, quantities, and patterns, and then processing culminates in decorative embellishments such as painting, artwork, and gilding.

Minnan traditional residential construction craft encompasses residential homes, archways, ancestral halls, temples, palaces, pagodas, pavilions, leaving behind a precious cultural heritage for future generations. This construction technology, passed down through several generations, has witnessed the historical, scientific, artistic, and societal aspects, and fosters positive sentiments and exchanges between both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The decoration of Minnan traditional residential architecture. [Photo/fujian-szwhg.chaoxing.com]

The wooden structure of Minnan traditional residential architecture. [Photo/fujian-szwhg.chaoxing.com]

The door designs are based on Minnan traditional residential architecture. [Photo/fujian-szwhg.chaoxing.com]