The structure of homes beloved by officials in Zhongyuan was known as the Sahapwon-style mansion.
The buildings were arranged in a square, surrounded by walls, with a central garden at the heart of the compound.

The more prestigious the mansion, the higher the walls and the larger the garden. In fact, the magistrate’s residence wasn’t so much a home as it was a fortress, with walls towering one and a half stories high.
Living in such a mansion in the middle of the city was a clear display of the magistrate's power.
This was also why the …