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When talking about Fujian, one immediately thinks of the jewel of traditional Chinese Han dwellings: the Tulou. Tulou, a distinctive form of traditional Chinese dwelling, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008. These unique structures are scattered among mountains, along streams, and along ridges in fields. They are both a part of life and a part of the scenery. Most travelers to Xiamen choose to spend a day exploring the Tulou.
Before I had a deep understanding of Tulou, there were always some vague concepts in my mind. I knew about the popular film and television "Yun Shui Yao", heard of Yongding Tulou, and even confused Gaobei Tulou with Yongding Tulou.
Fujian Province boasts the widest distribution, richest variety, and best-preserved tulou (earth buildings) in China. But with tens of thousands of these buildings, choosing the right one can be a challenge. What are the different experiences among them? Which ones are worth visiting? Follow me as I explain the tulou scene and help you choose the perfect tulou itinerary!
Fujian tulou are primarily concentrated in Yongding, Nanjing, Pinghe, Zhao'an, and Hua'an. The ones in Yongding and Nanjing are the most well-preserved and largest. Commonly known Nanjing tulou include Yunshuiyao, Tianluokeng Tulou (Four Dishes and One Soup), Tasha Village, Yuchanglou (Eastward and Westward Slanting), and Hekeng Tulou. Other renowned Yongding tulou include Gaobei Tulou, Hongkeng Tulou, Chuxi Tulou, Zhongchuan Ancient Village, and Tulougou.
Driving distance from Xiamen: Hua'an Dadi Tulou Group (115 km), Yunshuiyao Tulou Group (150 km), Tianluokeng Tulou Group (155 km), Hekeng Tulou Group (155 km), Gaobei Tulou Group (160 km), Hongkeng Tulou Group (165 km), Chuxi Tulou Group (200 km), Hukeng Tulou Group (170 km)
One picture to understand the fun index of Tulou
Yunshuiyao (Filming Location), formerly known as Changjiao Village, is an ancient village steeped in history, boasting secluded paths, century-old banyan trees, enchanting earthen buildings, and breathtaking mountains and clear waters. In late 2005, the film "Yunshuiyao," based on the original story "Searching," was filmed here, catapulting the town to fame and earning it the name "Yunshuiyao." The waterwheel, a prop used in the filming of "Yunshuiyao," remains well-preserved and has become a symbol of the town.
More than a dozen century-old banyan trees line the village's stream banks, and a row of two-story brick-and-wood houses flank the ancient path, marking the centuries-old market. Most of the old shops still retain their wooden planks. The most striking feature of the village are the numerous earthen buildings dotted across the foothills, stream banks, and fields.
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Hegui Tower, Huaiyuan Tower, and Ancient Road
Heguilou has four unique features: the tallest square building; the earthen building built on swampland; the yin and yang wells; and the unique structure.
Heguilou is the tallest known earth building in Fujian, reaching a height of 21.5 meters. It is known as the "Noah's Ark" among ancient buildings. It is also a relatively special square earth building. It is also known as the "No. 1 Strangest Building in the World" because it is an earth building built on swampland. It is said that the owner cut down hundreds of pine trees, drove piles and paved the foundation. Now if you walk into the patio of the earth building and stomp your feet hard, you can feel a slight vibration.
Yin-Yang Well
Although the two wells are only 8 meters apart, the water in the Yin Well is perpetually turbid, while the Yang Well is crystal clear and serves as drinking water for the residents. It's also worth noting that this is the prototype for Qiu's home in the TV series "Big Fish and Begonia." Huaiyuan Tower boasts the most exquisitely crafted and best-preserved double-ring circular earthen buildings. The Yunshuiyao Ancient Trail connects Huaiyuan Tower and Hegui Tower, offering views of the often-photographed banyan tree and waterwheel. The scenic area also houses a Tulou Museum, where visitors can experience rammed earth and puppetry. Admission is 20 yuan.
transportation
1. Take the train to Nanjing Railway Station and take the tourist bus directly from outside the station. It runs about once every hour and costs 25 yuan per person. The journey takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take the Tulou special bus from Nanjing Bus Station for 20 yuan per person. Alternatively, you can charter a car for about 40 yuan per person.
2. Take the 8:00 a.m. bus to Yunshuiyao from Xiamen Hubin South Long-distance Bus Station. The fare is 55 yuan and the journey takes about 3.5 hours.
Tickets
Regular Ticket: Package 90 RMB (Monday to Sunday, January 1st - December 31st)
Half-price ticket: Student ID tips: Yunshuiyao Ancient Town, Huaiyuan Tower, and Hegui Tower are three scenic spots that implement a package ticket system.
Open all day
Tianluokeng Tulou Group (four dishes and one soup) + Tasha Village + Yuchang Building (three points as a package ticket, 90 yuan, not available separately)
Tianluokeng is a classic Fujian tulou building, with four circular structures surrounding a square one. It's nicknamed "Four Dishes and One Soup." A renowned Chinese architect even described it in a poem: "From above, it resembles a single flower; from the side, it resembles the Potala Palace."
There are many ways to enjoy the snail pit. You can look down, look straight, or look up. Each angle has its own merits, and there is no blind spot in the 360-degree view. Standing on the observation deck, you can overlook the whole picture of the "four dishes and one soup".
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The Tianluokeng Tulou complex is nestled against the mountainside, offering a wide view. It's a bit like a Tulou version of the mountain city of Chongqing, with many small paths leading back and forth, making it a lot of fun to navigate. The Tulou complex still has many indigenous residents, and it's not particularly commercialized.
transportation
1. Take the train to Nanjing Railway Station and take the tourist bus directly outside the station. It runs about once every hour and costs 20 yuan per person. The journey takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take the Tulou special bus from Nanjing Bus Station for 20 yuan per person. Alternatively, you can charter a car for about 40 yuan per person.
2. Take the 8:30 a.m. bus to Tianluokeng from Xiamen Hubin South Long-distance Bus Station. The fare is 55 yuan and the journey takes about 3.5 hours.
Tickets
Regular ticket: 100 RMB (Monday to Sunday, January 1st - December 31st)
Half-price ticket: Children between 1.1 and 1.4 meters and students with certificates pay half price
Tips:
The Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, Yuchanglou, and Tasha Village attractions offer a 100 yuan package ticket. Opening hours: 07:00-19:00 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st - December 31st).
Tasha Village, a renowned overseas Chinese hometown in Zhangzhou and one of the first 15 designated scenic villages in China, is known as the "Zhouzhuang of Southern Fujian." Along the banks of the village's stream, 47 distinctive earthen buildings, built into the hillside, stand majestic and imposing. Their unique shapes and styles have earned them the nickname "the breathtaking mountain architecture of Tasha Village."
The most distinctive feature of Taxia Village is the Zhang clan's ancestral hall, Deyuan Hall. This exquisitely designed ancestral hall boasts a history of over 400 years. Beside the pond in front of the hall stand 23 stone dragon carvings (commonly known as stone dragon flagpoles), the largest and best-preserved collection of these in China. They bear witness to the Hakka people of southwestern Fujian's emphasis on civility, education, and traditional culture.
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The village is divided into two parts by a stream. You can take a slow walk along the stream to experience the slow life, and go to the ancestral hall to feel the traces of history. In the summer, you can go to the Dream Valley near Tasha Village to see fireflies.
Firefly viewing routes
Drive to Taxia Village. Please park at the Taxia Village Dam parking lot and walk 600 meters to Dream Valley.
Opening hours
June 1, 2017 - August 31, 2017, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Nanjing Tulou Route A: Firefly Fantasy Garden in Tianluokeng Scenic Area (near Tasha Village). Tickets for Route A are required (90 RMB package). Route A's main attractions include the Tianluokeng Tulou (four dishes and one soup), Yuchang Building (East-Waiting and West-Slanting Buildings), and Tasha Village.
Tips:
Kind tips
1. On rainy days or full-moon nights (around the 15th day of the lunar calendar), the number of fireflies decreases, so tourists are advised to avoid them as much as possible.
2. Firefly Fantasy Valley is a pristine environment, infested with venomous snakes and mosquitoes. Please wear rain boots, which are available for rental. Entry will be denied without rain boots. Long-sleeved shirts and pants are recommended to protect against mosquito bites.
3. Requirements for applying mosquito repellent: Apply mosquito repellent in advance outside the firefly viewing area. Spraying mosquito repellent inside the firefly viewing area will affect the fireflies' search for mates and affect their reproduction.
4. Since the fireflies in the scenic area are purely natural and wild, the number of fireflies is uncontrollable and there is no guarantee that tourists will be able to see many fireflies.
If the Leaning Tower of Pisa astounds you, then the rickety Yuchang Building will surely captivate you, too. From the outside, Yuchang Building appears no different from other tulou, save for its larger size. However, once you step through the main entrance, you'll notice its pillars are crooked—the third floor leans to the right, the fourth to the left. You might want to run away screaming, but don't worry: it's been standing there for over 600 years.
These pillars, leaning for centuries without collapsing, not only create a visually stunning atmosphere but also serve as a testament to Yuchang Building's status as the oldest extant earth building in Nanjing. However, residents of Yuchang Building have also shifted to commerce, with the ground-floor kitchens often becoming shops and stalls selling homemade tea and snacks. However, some kind and hospitable hosts will offer free tea.
transportation
You can reach the Tianluokeng Scenic Area by shuttle bus.
Tickets
The three scenic spots of Tianluokeng Tulou Group, Yuchang Building and Taxia Village have a package ticket system of 90 yuan per person; children between 1.1 and 1.4 meters in height can enjoy half price, and students can enjoy half price with a voucher.
The Hekeng Tulou Cluster, nestled in front of Lion Mountain, consists of 15 buildings of varying shapes. The Lion Mountain Observation Deck, located opposite the village, offers the best view of the cluster. From here, you can easily spot the "Big Dipper" hidden within, as well as the village's two streams converging at the foot of the mountain on the left, forming the "Ding" (Ding-shaped) water pattern, a hallmark of Hekeng Village's feng shui.
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Hekeng Tulou are less prominent and well-known than other Tulou complexes in Nanjing, but they also attract fewer tourists. The buildings are more clustered together, with rice paddies and paths running between them, offering a glimpse into the vibrant life of the complex. The Hekeng Tulou complex includes six square buildings, including Chaoshui and Shengqing, six round buildings, including Chungui and Dongsheng, and the pentagonal Nanxun. From a high vantage point, their arrangement resembles the Big Dipper.
Located at the entrance to the Hekeng Tulou complex, Chunguilou is a three-story circular tulou. Near Hekeng lies Shiqiao Village, a pristine village that preserves the most pristine Hakka lifestyle. The village boasts a Guinness World Record building and a giant toon tree. For a more relaxed experience, spend half a day exploring the area.
transportation
1. Take the train to Nanjing Railway Station, and take the tourist bus directly outside the station. The bus departs every hour, costs 20 yuan per person, and the journey takes 1.5 hours.
2. Or go to Nanjing Bus Station and take the Tulou special bus, 20 yuan/person; or charter a car, about 40 yuan/person. Tickets are 398.00. Opening hours: 6:00-20:00
Numerous tulou are preserved within the scenic area, one after another. The finest is undoubtedly Chengqilou, known as the "King of Fujian Tulou." It is the largest and most ringed of Fujian's tulou, retaining its original four-ring style. After hundreds of years, it remains intact and still inhabited.
Wuyun Tower is the oldest of the Fujian Tulou complex and is square in shape. Shize Tower was built by some residents of Chengqi Tower due to housing shortages. It is also a square building and complements the Chengqi Tower with a narrow strip of skylight between them.
transportation
You can take the bus from Yongding to Gaotou.
Tickets
Ticket price: 50 yuan per person
Opening hours
8:00-19:00
The Hongkeng Tulou Cluster, located in Hongkeng Village, Hukeng Town, Yongding County, dates from the late Song Dynasty to the present day. With over 30 types and hundreds of Hakka tulou, including round, square, palace-style, five-phoenix-style, and mansion-style buildings, it represents the largest cluster of tulou in terms of architectural variety and style. If Yongding is a Chinese tulou museum without gates, then the Hongkeng Tulou Folk Culture Village is a true epitome of Yongding's Hakka tulou heritage.
This ordinary natural village is renowned for its surviving over 30 Hakka earth buildings of varying sizes and shapes. Among them are the magnificent Zhencheng Tower, known as the "Prince of Earth Buildings," the smallest "pocket-sized round building," Rusheng Tower, the Potala Palace-style Kuiju Tower, the mansion-like Fuyu Tower, and the thickest earthen walls of the Yangyang Tower.
transportation
You can buy tickets to Hukeng Tulou Cultural Village at Yongding Bus Station
Tickets
Tickets: 90 yuan; Member price: 85 yuan
Special groups can enjoy half-price discount
Opening hours
7:00-19:00
The Chuxi Tulou complex, located in Chuxi Village, Xiayang Town, Yongding County, consists of five round buildings and dozens of square buildings. Nestled against the hillside and alongside the water, they are meticulously arranged, showcasing exceptional aesthetic value. The Jiqing Tower, built in 1419 (the 17th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), boasts a history of over 580 years and is one of the oldest round Hakka tulou. With relatively few tourists, the atmosphere here remains relatively pristine. For a firsthand experience of the natural beauty of western Fujian's landscapes and tulou culture, Chuxi is a must-see.
transportation
You can hire a car from Xiayang Town Bus Station for about 80 yuan. Tickets are 70 yuan per person. Opening hours: 8:00-17:30
Zhongchuan Ancient Village is located in Zhongchuan Village, Xiayang Town, Yongding. The village has a population of less than 3,000, but there are more than 20,000 overseas Chinese. It is an ancient village of overseas Chinese known as a "family of civil and military affairs."
In this small village, cultural wonders such as "five Jinshi in one family", "four Simas in three generations", and "father and son Jinshi" have emerged. In modern times, outstanding figures such as tin mining tycoon Hu Zichun, patriotic overseas Chinese leader Hu Wenhu, Central Political Consultative Conference member of the Republic of China Hu Zhaoxiang, art master Hu Yichuan, diplomat Hu Chengfang, and world newspaper giant Hu Xian have emerged. It is called the incredible "Zhongchuan Cultural Phenomenon" by historians.
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There are many representative attractions here, the ones that cannot be missed are of course the Zhongchuan Cultural Exhibition Hall, Tangzi Pavilion Scenic Area, and Tiger and Leopard Tower.
transportation
Take the shuttle bus from Yongding and get off at Xiayang Town. The fare is 10 yuan per person.
Tickets
30 yuan
Opening hours
8:00-17:30
Nanxi Tulou Valley has a long and narrow terrain, with mountains on both sides facing each other and undulating. Five Tulou villages and hundreds of Tulou of various shapes stretch for more than 10 kilometers. Some are big, some are small, some are high, some are low, some are gathered, and some are scattered. They are inlaid in the terraced valleys and on the winding river banks, like a long dragon running endlessly, forming the wonder of "Ten Miles of Tulou Valley", which is spectacular.
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The beautiful Zhenfu Building, known as the "Tulou Princess," is so called because it perfectly blends natural beauty with cultural heritage, creating a picturesque and magnificent landscape. In the summer, rafting is also possible in Tulougou, a unique experience.
transportation
You can reach the Hongkeng Tulou complex by taking a covered motorcycle for only 20 yuan.
Tickets
The ticket price for the Nanxi Tulou complex is 50 yuan per person, including Zhenfu Tower, Yanxiang Tower, and Huanji Tower.
Opening hours
9:00-17:00
Most of Fujian Tulou are located in the mountains. The Tulou in Nanping, Yongding and Hua'an are generally a 2-4 hour drive from Xiamen.
From Xiamen to Nanjing Tulou, you can take a high-speed train, which runs from 09:31 to 20:48, takes half an hour to one hour, and costs 25 to 40 yuan. From Nanjing Station, you can take a special bus to Tianluokeng or Yunshuiyao.
You can take a train from Xiamen to Yongding. There are only two trains daily, the journey takes about four hours, and tickets cost between 37.5 and 91.5 yuan. From Yongding Railway Station, you can take a bus to the bus station, or you can take a taxi directly. However, taking the train to Yongding is time-consuming and is not recommended.
If you depart from Xiamen, you can take a bus from the bus station to Hua'an, and then transfer to a local bus or taxi to the Tulou Scenic Area.
Prevent mosquito bites
The south is hot and humid, and there are mosquitoes even in December. People with allergies should be especially careful to prepare mosquito repellent.
Climb up the building for a visit
Most of the earth buildings do not allow you to climb up, and some open ones will charge a "sanitation fee" of about 5 yuan. The earth buildings in Hekeng are all free to climb up;
Meal Standard
Hakka meals also have quality standards, with a per-person meal standard of 10 yuan for a simple meal, 20 yuan for a standard meal, and 40 yuan for a high-end meal;
Local cigarettes
They are basically fake because the production is very small, the price is high, and smoking in public places is not recommended;
tea
It is a highly profitable product, but the tea-producing area in Fujian is Anxi, so this place may just be a distribution area.
Herbs
Most of them are used to make soup for health preservation. The price and quality vary greatly, and it is difficult to identify without experience.
Group photo
Acting as a role and forcing people to take photos will charge you 10-20 yuan;
Photography Services
The paper photo photography service provided by villagers is not mandatory but charged;
Wild Guide
Offering free tours to local residents may be a hidden sales pitch.
Recommended reasons: 1. Two world cultural heritage sites, only a 15-minute drive between the two scenic spots. 2. Two distinct experiences: the famous Yunshuiyao Tulou and the undeveloped Hekeng Tulou.
Recommended reason: The style of the Tulou is more commercial and the number of tourists is lower than other famous Tulou groups. Self-driving and small group tours are suitable for in-depth exploration.
Recommended reasons: 1. Experience the pure play of the two World Heritage routes; 2. See a different Xiamen, a niche and exclusive experience, eat authentic food, and have fun
Similar line reference:
After reading this article, I believe you have a general understanding of Fujian Tulou, and some of you may have already chosen your favorite one.
These tulou have stood firm for thousands of years, and their preservation is a blessing for us to be able to visit them today. Although we cannot protect them as well as the Hakka people who guard them, as ordinary tourists, ensuring civilized behavior during our visit is a great contribution to their protection.
