Yǒngdìng

Introducing Yǒngdìng

Yǒngdìng is a rural area of rolling farmlands and hills in southwestern Fújiàn. Heartland of the Hakka people, it’s renowned for its remarkable tǔlóu (earth buildings), large, circular edifices resembling fortresses that are scattered throughout the surrounding countryside. Today there are 20, 000 of these buildings still in existence, many still inhabited and open to visitors.

The Hakka have inhabited Yǒngdìng and its neighbouring villages for hundreds of years. During the Jin dynasty (AD 265–314) the Hakka peoples of northwest China began a gradual migration south to escape persecution and famine. They eventually settled in Jiāngxī, Fújiàn and Guǎngdōng, where they began to build tǔlóu to protect themselves from bandits and wild animals.

These early structures were large enough to house entire clans. The buildings were communal, with interior buildings enclosed by enormous peripheral ones that could hold hundreds of people. Nestled in the mud walls were bedrooms, wells, cooking areas and storehouses, circling a central courtyard. The walls were made of rammed earth and glutinous rice, reinforced with strips of bamboo and wood chips.

Sleeping & Eating

If you’ve come all this way, why not stay in a tǔlóu? Residents will approach you first, eagerly offering their homes as lodging. Make sure to look over the room before you agree to a price. Don’t expect accommodation to be anything but basic – you’ll get a bed, a thermos of hot water and not much else. You’ll also be offered a simple meal cooked over an open fire that may or may not be included in the room price. It’s a good idea to bring a flashlight (torch) and bug repellent.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009