The Fujian Tulou (福建土楼) are among the most extraordinary residential architecture in the world. Huge circular and square structures of rammed earth, some 5 stories high and 70 metres in diameter, containing hundreds of rooms arranged around a central courtyard — each building a self-sufficient community. They were built by the Hakka people (客家人) as defensive compounds and have been continuously inhabited for 400–700 years.
In 2008, 46 of them were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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What Is a Tulou?
Tǔ lóu (土楼, literally “earth building”) refers to the rammed-earth construction method. The walls are built by layering wet earth, mixed with various binding materials (glutinous rice, brown sugar, egg white, bamboo strips), into timber formwork and compressing it. The resulting walls are 1–2 metres thick, fire-resistant, earthquake-resistant, and extremely well-insulated — cool in summer, warm in winter.
Circular tulou (圆楼): The most famous type — perfectly circular multi-story residential rings, with a single entrance gate, central open courtyard, and ancestor hall in the centre. Each floor of the ring contains rooms belonging to different families; kitchens and storage on the ground floor, living rooms on the second, bedrooms on upper floors.
Square tulou (方楼): Rectangular versions — earlier in origin and considered more formal. The interior layout is otherwise similar.
The Main Tulou Clusters
Yongding (永定)
The most visited cluster — specifically the Hongkeng Village (洪坑村) area and the surrounding Chuxi Village (初溪村).
Wuyun Lou (五云楼): One of the oldest continuously inhabited circular tulou — built around 1350 AD.
Zhencheng Lou (振成楼): The “tulou prince” — a 1912 Art Deco-influenced circular tulou with a Western-style inner ring and Confucian-themed outer ring. The owner studied in Shanghai and wanted to combine cultural influences. The design is extraordinary.
Fuyu Lou (福裕楼): A massive three-ring circular complex with a total of 96 rooms — the largest of the Hongkeng tulou. Still inhabited by 30+ family units.
Chuxi Cluster: A valley containing five tulou of different sizes and dates in a natural bowl setting — the most photogenic ensemble. The terraced fields around them show the agricultural life that sustained these communities.
Nanjing (南靖)
Tianluokeng Village (田螺坑村): The most-photographed tulou ensemble — four circular tulou and one square tulou arranged on a hillside terrace. Known as the “four dishes and one soup” (四菜一汤) formation. The aerial view from the hillside observation point, looking down at the circular buildings set in the terraced landscape, is the iconic tulou image.
Hekeng Village (河坑村): 13 tulou in a small valley with a river running through it — less visited than Tianluokeng, with a more genuine village atmosphere. Several of the tulou are partially ruined, which paradoxically makes the inhabited ones more vivid by contrast.
Living in Tulou
Staying overnight: Multiple families within the tulou rent rooms — the experience of sleeping in an inhabited Hakka earth building, eating meals cooked by the resident families, and experiencing the evening gathering of community members in the central courtyard is the reason to visit rather than just passing through. Prices: ¥80–150/person with meals.
Food: The tulou kitchen culture produces a distinctive Hakka cuisine — preserved meats, fermented vegetables, rice-based dishes. The preserved pork belly (梅菜扣肉, braised pork with preserved mustard greens) is the emblematic dish — made with locally-grown vegetables and pork.
Practical Tips
Getting there: Base city options:
- Xiamen (1.5 hrs by bus to Yongding; 2.5 hrs to Nanjing) — most convenient
- Longyan (龙岩): 1 hr to Yongding
- High-speed rail to Longyan Station from Xiamen (40 min), Fuzhou (2 hrs), Shanghai (6 hrs)
Tour options: Day tours from Xiamen are efficient but rushed — a night at Tianluokeng or Hongkeng is strongly recommended for the full experience.
Photography: The best light is early morning (fog in the valleys) and late afternoon (warm light on the earth walls). The rooftop of any nearby hillside hill gives the aerial perspective essential for understanding the circular form.
Last updated: May 2026