January 28, 2010

Hakka Tulou- not all the same. Fujian, China

Location: Hakka Tulou, Yongding, Fujian, China (24°38'14.18"N 116°54'27.63"E)
Date: 11 December 2007, 2.50pm
Camera: Canon 400D with Sigma 17-70/f2.8-4.5

Hakka客家 (in Cantonese) or Kejia (in Putonghua) tulou is mainly concentric in construction with few levels, each level with accommodates a few households. Most of them have an empty centre where the inhabitants either gather for socializing or do their chores. Some of the bigger ones have a central covered structure- which can be either concentric or individual house-like- which normally houses common items such as prayer altar, dry woods etc. Some of these are actually additional household units. These days most of the inhabitants are older folks with the younger ones coming back to live during weekends (if they lives nearby) or during long holidays. This might changed after the tulou becoming a UNESCO Heritage Site last year- with more tourists visiting, the young ones may come back to live and make money from door collections.

1 comment:

fufu said...

yeah i was there last year... the people are very friendly =p and they speak different hakka >< but they understand my hakka =p