Hello everyone,
How many times in your life, during a trip far from home, you have felt that you were exploring a totally different time period?
Well, that’s what I felt the first time I saw a tulou, so today, I would like to share with you something about these hidden treasures of rural China.
Located in the region of Fujian the tulou, which in simplified Chineseis written 土楼, (or 土樓 in traditional ), literally: means earthen buildings’, and is based on the literal meaning of the Chinese words tu (土 “earth”) and lou (樓 “building”).
You might have seen this building in some movies or in trailers (like the incoming Disney movie of Mulan)!
The complex I visited, are located a couple of hours form the city of Xiamen. Surrounded by tobacco and tea field the tu lou are accessible only through a gate which restrict and control the entrance of all the tourists, since from 2008 was declared an Unesco World Heritage ( https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1113)
Usually tu lou are mostly circled buildings, and in the middle are located small altars ore wells.
but some were made rectangular
Original this structure where used for defensive purpose, and exhibits its unique characteristic as a model of community housing for equals, since all rooms were built the same size with the same material, exterior decoration or even windows.
Is difficult to establish when they were built, anyway is been though between XIII and XIX century.
If you plan to visit such a wonderful place, don’t forget your camera, the landscape are amazing.
Unfortunately, not all of the tu lou structure are maintained well, with rubble and an heavy manure smell anywhere, let’s remember that these are houses and in some them they still live inside.
I would like to present these hidden treasures to all you, to increase also the international awareness on this amazing gift that history has brought us, and maybe to give you some good ideas for a future trip.
What do you think about it? Ever hear about it?
I the occasion I want to whish all of you a happy Chinese new year!! and remember if you are of the year or the mouse always wear something red with you it will bring you good luck ?
