Yongding Tulou, （or Yongding earth building） located in Longyan city, Fujian province, is unique rural dwellings of the Hakka and Minnan people in mountainous areas around the world. It is a gem in architecture of ancient China because of its long history, distinct styles, magnificent scale and exquisite structure. In terms of history, aesthetics, and science, Yongding Tulou is highly commended as the ancient castle of the orient. Generally speaking, Tulou is divided into two sorts, the rectangular and the circular. Nowadays, there are about 360 well-reputed circular Tulou and more than 4000 circular ones.
Features of Yongding Tulou
Tulou has its walls made of sticky rice, lime, egg white, and clay while the inside is of yellowwood and China fir, which prevents searing hot and mind-numb cold from hitting the residence. Besides, temperature is automatically regulated. Yongding Tulou had always been the fortification of the Hakka before the liberation in 1949 in that it is no less impregnable than those armored concrete buildings. The door is made of nailed ten-centimetre-thick woods. Some doors are even equipped with trough in case of fire. Commonly, those circular Tulou have windows shut at the first and second storeies so as to ventilate the rooms and snipe intruders. On the top, the observation tower makes it convenient for the residents to grasp the enemies’ situation.
ignificance of Yongding Tulou
Not only is Tulou multifunctional, but also is symbolic of harmonious life. As a colorful society in miniature, Tulou witnesses people helping one another every day and getting along with each other. Whenever you are paying a visit here, the rich history and profound tradition strike you all the time; moreover, the ideal of cultivating one’s moral character and putting one’s family affairs in order and the pursuit of arriving at supreme goodness will arouse your emotion. On 6th July, 2008, Fujian Tulou was inscribed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
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