The characteristics of Tulou residents living in groups according to caste and their architectural features are closely related to the history of Hakka people.

Hakkas, originally Han Chinese in the Central Plains, were forced to move south due to war, famine and other reasons. By the Southern Song Dynasty, they had traveled to Wan Li for nearly a thousand years and formed a Hakka clan in the border area of Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi. In the process of being forced to leave their homes and migrate, they have experienced many hardships, whether they are displaced after a long journey or they are new to a strange place.

Many difficulties have to be solved by our own unity and mutual assistance and Qi Xin's concerted efforts. Therefore, wherever they go, their surnames always live together. In this way, the unique architectural form of Hakka dwellings-tulou was formed.

Because most Hakkas live in remote mountainous areas or Mishan, at that time, not only building materials were scarce, wolves, tigers and leopards were noisy, but also they were afraid of local people's harassment, so Hakkas created a "defensive" castle-style building house-Tulou.

Tulou attaches great importance to defense requirements. The border of Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces used to be a wild land, but until the early 1920s, there were still many virgin forests, infested with insects and snakes, and many wild animals. For a long time in history, not only "the sky is high and the emperor is far away", but also the imperial court is beyond its reach. Even Fuzhou, Guangzhou and Nanchang, the capitals of these three provinces, can't help but make friends because of the extreme and dangerous roads.

In addition to being frequently attacked by aborigines with strong folk customs, Hakkas also migrated to different families with different surnames, and there were constant life-and-death struggles. The harsh living environment forces Hakkas to attach great importance to defense, and they build their houses into fortified cities that are easy to defend but difficult to attack, and live in groups. In the era of primary firearms such as wells, granaries and barns in Tulou, Tulou provided enough security for Hakkas.

Among the Hakkas, there are many stories about "the building is safe and sound" after the enemy has been unable to attack for a long time.

Extended data:

Structural classification of Hakka earth buildings;

There are three typical Hakka earth buildings: Wufeng Building, Square Building and Yuan House.

1, Wufeng Pagoda, on the whole, the Wufeng Pagoda centered on the three halls contains obvious inferiority complex. To be sure, it is the continuation and development of the layout of ancient courtyards in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the birthplace of Hakka culture. In its group combination, only the upper hall (main hall) at the end of the central axis adopts a heavy rammed earth bearing wall.

2. Square building: The layout of the square building is similar to that of Wufeng Building, but its thick earth wall extends from the upper building to the whole periphery. Obviously, the defense has been greatly strengthened.

3. Yuancun, in the round building, the three pavilions have been hidden, and the priority has been seriously weakened; Zhai is a fortress, and its defense function has risen to the first place, making it an extremely effective paramilitary project.

4. The circular building is the most distinctive building in the local earth building. Generally, it starts from a circle center and spreads out layer by layer according to different radii, just like the water waves in the lake, which is very spectacular. Its center is family ancestral temple, followed by ancestral halls, verandahs and people living in the outermost ring. The whole earth building is the same size, with an area of about 10 square meter. On the same staircase, families have almost no secrets.

There are many types of earth buildings, one of which is the system of upper, middle and lower halls arranged in depth along the central axis. This kind of earth building, the lower hall is generally the entrance and exit, placed in the front; The nave is in the center, which is a place for family gatherings and welcoming guests. Shangtang is the innermost place where ancestral tablets are enshrined.

In addition to the unique structure, the window sill, porch and cornice inside the earth building are also extremely gorgeous and exquisite, which is really a wonderful work in China residential buildings.

Baidu encyclopedia-Hakka tulou