Atlas of China
Fujian Tulou 福建土楼Fújiàn Tǔlóu
Round earthen fortresses where whole clans lived behind a single gate
- Best time
- Mar–May, Oct–Dec
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Days to budget
- 1½ days
- Stay in
- Xiamen
- Region
- Fujian
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- 5A scenic area, National heritage site, UNESCO World Heritage
Why go to Fujian Tulou
The tulou of southwestern Fujian are giant round and square houses of rammed earth, some with hundreds of rooms stacked around an open courtyard. Many are still lived in, with families cooking, drying tea and selling snacks under the wooden galleries. At Tianluokeng, a square tulou ringed by round and oval ones makes the classic view from the hillside above.
The story
Hakka and other local clans built these communal fortresses from around the 12th century onward, partly for defence against bandits. Locals nicknamed the Tianluokeng cluster 'four dishes and a soup' for the way it looks from above, like bowls set around a table.
What to see at Fujian Tulou
- Zhencheng Lou, Hongkeng 振成楼: Nicknamed the 'prince of tulou', a double-ring building of 1912 whose outer ring is divided into four segments on bagua principles, in the Hongkeng cluster.
- Chengqi Lou, Gaobei 承启楼: Known as the 'king of tulou', a vast round building of 1709 with four concentric rings around an ancestral hall, in the Gaobei cluster near Hongkeng.
- Chuxi cluster 初溪土楼群: A hillside village of tulou in Xiayang town, with round and square buildings on the slope.
- Tianluokeng cluster 田螺坑土楼群: Five tulou on a hill slope — one square in the middle, surrounded by three round and one oval — best viewed from the platform above.
- Yuchang Lou 裕昌楼: A five-storey tulou in Nanjing County nicknamed the 'zigzag building' for its leaning wooden posts, traditionally dated to the Yuan dynasty.
How to visit Fujian Tulou
Treat the area as two separate trips. Yongding (Hongkeng, Gaobei, Chuxi) is one day, and Nanjing County (Tianluokeng, Taxia, Yuchang Lou) is another. Go early to the Tianluokeng platform, then continue by car to Taxia and Yuchang Lou. Use a private driver between clusters, and take time to go into smaller tulou where families still live.
How to get to Fujian Tulou
The Tianluokeng area is roughly 2.5–3 hours by road from Xiamen. Most travellers join a tour or hire a driver, and an overnight stay makes the trip far more relaxed.
Where to stay
Stay in a guesthouse inside a tulou at Hongkeng or Taxia, or in a village near Gaobei; this saves long drives and lets you see the courtyards after the day trippers leave.
What to eat
- Hakka stuffed tofu 酿豆腐: Tofu filled with seasoned minced meat, a Hakka staple.
- Yongding dried vegetables 永定菜干: Sun-dried greens used in stews and sold as a regional gift.
- Pounded tea 擂茶: A traditional Hakka drink made by grinding tea leaves with sesame, peanuts and herbs.
Tips for visiting Fujian Tulou
- The clusters are spread across Nanjing County (not the city) and Yongding; pick one or two areas rather than trying to see them all.
- Sleep in a tulou guesthouse: rooms are simple, but you'll see the courtyard after the crowds leave.
- Walk up to the Tianluokeng viewing platform for the famous overhead shot.
Nearby
- Gulangyu Island 鼓浪屿 100 km
A car-free island of old villas, banyan trees and drifting piano music
Also within 30 km: Wugengliao Backyard Blast Furnaces 五更寮土高炉群 (under 10 km), Gaofeng Valley 高峰谷 (20 km).
Trips with Fujian Tulou
- Fujian: Xiamen, the tulou roundhouses and the Wuyi Mountains 5 days · Xiamen and Wuyishan
On the map
Open Fujian Tulou on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.
Open Fujian Tulou on the map