Tulou: Ancient Miracle of Fujian

#ancienttown Tulou is a fortress-type residential complex in Chinese architecture, common in Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Toolows can be square or round in shape. The first Tulou were built by representatives of the Hakka people, who migrated from the north to the southern regions of China during the internecine wars during the Tang Dynasty. Each tulou has all the amenities to support the life of the population. There are warehouses, wells and places to relax. In fact, Tulou quickly evolved into small Chinese fortresses of 4-8 buildings. The walls reach a thickness of 3 meters, there are simply no gaps. In order to ensure maximum strength, the walls were built from a combination of materials. In them you will find stone, wood, bamboo and much more. Imagine that such a wall could easily withstand a direct shot from a cannon. Most toolows are round or rectangular in shape. Surprisingly, in a mountainous area, these buildings were well blown by the winds, which provided residents with comfortable conditions outside the walls of these fortifications. From a distance, they look like huge reddish-red anthills or beehives. Once they housed entire tribal communities. These are the so—called tulou, or "earthen castles" - fortress-type residential complexes that have been common since the 12th century in the territory of the modern Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. The local villages and small towns looked like miniature family kingdoms, protected by high earthen walls with tiled roofs and wide cornices. The first Tulou originated during the Tang Dynasty, when internecine wars forced the Hakka people to move from the north to the southern regions of China. This happened during the Song and Yuan dynasties, which took full shape at the end of the Ming, during the Qing Dynasty and during the period of the Republic of China. The oldest and youngest adobe houses that have survived to this day are located in the Chusi complex, the Jiqinglou house with a diameter of 66 meters has a history of 600 years, the Shanqinglou house with a diameter of 31 meters is only 30 years old.