The Features of Kejias Tulou
Hakka people have tried to maintain their own culture and customs. They built the
earthen complexes to guard against invasion from local bandits. The Earthen Buildings
are also small conlmunities which allow them to keep their own way of life, unique
dialect and cuisine, which remain distinct from other local culture.
Ancestral halls can be found in all The earthen buildings, because Hakkas worshipped
their ancestors. Primary schools have been set up in many buildings to show their
awareness of the importance of education.
The square building, which is the most common type of earthen building in Fujlan
Province, has two main designs: with circular galleries or with separate units. The
difference lies in their various interiors though it is hard to tell the diftbrence from the
outside. The former emphasizes the unity of the building complex through the use of
galleries, while the latter style respects the privacy and convenience of individual units for
different families. For instance, the three-story Xishuang Building (1679) of Fujian
Province contains 65 units in it. Each one has a staircase of its own and seperated rooms
on each floor. Each unit is completely separated from the others. A large courtyard inside
the compound includes six ancestral halls. Some buildings have integrated the two styles.
Yijing Building in Yongding County is a good example. There are three six-rooms with-
one-hall-units in its five-story back section. Meanwhile, the galleries connect all the rooms
in the other three four-story sections of the building. This largest construction encompasses
10. 336nl2 with 400 rooms, it was started in 1806, and finally completed in 1876. The
buildthg survived several earthquakes and wars with it 1.1-meter-thick outer walls and 20-
centimetre-thick wooden gate.
Circular buildings are the most distinctive earlhen buildings mostly found in Fujian
Province. The Hegui Building in Nanjin County is a typical square courtyard with 24
rooms on each floor. All the doors and inner windows open onto the common courtyard.
The Huaiyuan Building in Nanjin County is also a well preserved circular building with
galleries.
The Earthern Buildings have the advantages of being cool in summer and warm in
winter. They are not only econotnic but durable and wind-proof as well. They are
fireproof and naturally resist earthquakes which demonstrate the high artistic level of
architectural science.