Yanyiwei, Fortified hakka walled village in Yangcun, Ganzhou, China

Yanyiwei is a four-story fortress in Yancun village that rises distinctly above surrounding buildings, combining traditional Chinese defensive features with residential spaces. The structure displays typical architectural elements from its period of construction and maintains these characteristics today.

Lai Fuzhi began building Yanyiwei in 1650, the seventh year of the Shunzhi reign, and it was completed in 1677 under the Kangxi emperor, so its construction spans the early Qing period rather than the Ming. The walled compound was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 2001.

The name Yanyiwei combines the characters for 'swallow' and 'wing', referring to the projecting wall walks that resemble outstretched wings. The compound was built by the Lai clan, whose descendants long occupied its rooms around the central courtyard. The rectangular enclosure measures 41.5 by 31.8 metres, with walls 14.3 metres high.

Yanyiwei stands in Yangcun village, Yangcun town, Longnan city, Ganzhou, Jiangxi. The rectangular enclosure measures 41.5 m by 31.8 m, with walls 14.3 m high, so allow time to walk the full circuit. It was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 2001.

The perimeter wall reaches 14.3 metres in height, taller than the four storeys it encloses, so the compound reads as a defensive shell rather than a house. Its footprint covers 1,367.6 square metres, with 3,741.12 square metres of floor area inside.