Toru (土楼), an apartment building that resembles a fortress from hundreds of years ago
There are many tulou in Fujian Province, China.
They were built hundreds of years ago, and are now like apartments or mansions.
However, there is only one door leading to the tulou.
Once that door is closed, it becomes a perfect fortress that is cut off from the outside world.
The reason it has such a unique structure is because it is a housing style created by the Hakka people who were forced to move from the central plains to the border to escape the war.
The overall structure is centered around a well for drinking water,
and the first floor is for people, and the second and third floors are mostly for food storage and warehouses.
Currently, among the approximately 20,000 tulou in Fujian Province and its vicinity,
Most of the private tulou outside of tourist attractions
are either inhabited only by elderly people or have been destroyed and left abandoned.
This is due to the phenomenon of avoiding rural areas, and Korea was the same when it was a developing country ^^
It is not easy for ordinary tourists to visit these folk houses, but Jeollagang Toru and Yongding Toru, which have become tourist attractions,
are often open for day tours in Xiamen, so if you have the chance, it is worth a visit.
#China #Xiamen #ChinaTravel #Toru #Hakka #FolkhouseToru #XiamenTravel