The two most distinctive qualities of the Southern Chinese style of architecture are the "swallowtail" and "horseback" styles of roofs. "Sparrowtail" is an architectural term referring to the curve of the roof which turns up at the eaves. The "horseback" is similar to the swallowtail, except that the horseback's central ridge is only slightly curved and lacks the projecting eaves characteristic of the swallowtail.
金門從宋朝以來，一直文風鼎盛，居民知識水準高，中舉當官的人也不少，因此不僅有能力營建講究的宅院，也崇尚優美典雅的形制。