Four Major Categories of Chinese Vernacular Architecture

The following is my own categorizing of the various forms of Chinese vernacular residences.

I. Central Plain Courtyard Style
This category of vernacular residences usually situated in a relative mild and plain climate and landscape, which enables it to develop into a strong social order belief/philosophy. This philosophy is most obviously embodied in the layout of the architectures. Some common features of the layouts include: symmetric distribution of buildings along a central axis, rigorous rectangular courtyard with enclosed sidewalls, a sequential progression in the height of buildings, the distribution of the room purpose according to certain social order and fengshui.
This category includes residences of:
1. Courtyard Houses in Beijing
2. Shanxi Residences
3. Red-brick Dwellings in Quanzhou
4. Houses of Bai Nationality
The slight difference within this category is shown in decoration and local materials.

II. River/Lake Area Style
This category includes reidences of:
1. Huizhou Residential Buildings, Anhui Province
2. Jiangnan Canal Houses, Jiangsu Province & Zhejiang Province
3. Lijiang Residential Buildings, Yunnan Province

III. Defense Style in the Mountainous Areas
1. Earthen Buildings in Fujian Province
2. Fortified Compound in Southern Jiangxi Province
3. U-Shaped Fortified Compounds of the Hakka people
4. Kaiping Fortified Buildings, Guangdong Province
5. Tibetan Fortified Manor House
These houses all share a common trait in their high, tough and austere exterior which mainly serves for the defense purpose. Specific forms and materials vary according to local material and culture.

IV. Local Environment-Oriented Style
1. Cave Dwellings in Shaanxi Province
2. Flagstone Buildings in Guizhou Province
3. Korean Residential Buildings, Northeastern China
4. Mongolian Yurts
5. Uygurs Residential Buidings, Xinjiang Province
6. Houses on Stilts, Southwestern China