**Discovery of the Cultural Significance of Fujian Tulou: An Interview with Huang Hanmin, Former Director of Fujian Provincial Architectural Design Institute**
In 2024, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. From November 2023 to February 2024, a themed exhibition titled “Revitalizing Fujian Tulou” will be held at the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine in Paris. This event will showcase seven large tulou models, standing in harmony with the Eiffel Tower, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
As a UNESCO World Heritage site, what exactly is Fujian Tulou? What cultural significance does it hold? Huang Hanmin, a renowned tulou expert and former director of the Fujian Provincial Architectural Design Institute, recently discussed these topics in an exclusive interview.
**Interviewer:** Can you describe what Fujian Tulou is? What are its architectural styles and characteristics?
**Huang Hanmin:** Tulou refers to large rammed earth houses predominantly found in the mountainous areas of southwest Fujian. This includes Hakka Tulou, Minnan Tulou, and northeast Guangdong Tulou, each showcasing unique characteristics.
In Fujian, Hakka Tulou, found in regions like Yongding and Nanjing, features a corridor layout with distinctive elements such as load-bearing rammed earth walls, deep overhanging roofs, high egg-shell stone walls, solid main doors, stacked wooden structures, and extensive inner courtyards. Minnan Tulou, located in places like Pinghe and Zhao’an, presents a tiered courtyard style, characterized by massive earth walls, innovative space combinations, and various rammed earth architectural forms.
The origin of tulou relates to historical mass migrations in China. The mountainous terrain of southwestern Fujian, once teeming with wildlife and bandits, became a safe haven for settlers who brought their knowledge of rammed earth construction from Central China and advanced it to new heights. These buildings emerged as fortified residential structures, blending deep-rooted Confucian values with practical needs for community defense.
Overall, Fujian Tulou is a massive residential structure designed for both habitation and defense, with prominent features such as robust fortification, load-bearing walls made of rammed earth, and spatial arrangements that accommodate extended families.
What’s particularly noteworthy is their construction using local materials like earth, wood, and river stones, creating comfortable living spaces that are warm in winter and cool in summer. After falling into disrepair or being abandoned, these materials return to nature, demonstrating that tulou are exemplars of eco-friendly architecture, offering valuable lessons for sustainable building design.
**Interviewer:** Why were Fujian Tulou recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site? What cultural significance do they hold?
**Huang Hanmin:** For a long time, Fujian Tulou existed in obscurity, only gaining attention from the architectural community in the mid-1950s. In 2008, they were officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee noted that these monumental structures and their geographical settings exemplify the principles of feng shui and harmonious architectural relationships with the environment. Additionally, Fujian Tulou received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Heritage Protection from UNESCO.
They represent large-scale earthen architecture with “universal and outstanding value,” serving as historical testimony to traditional Chinese kinship and egalitarian communal living.
The beauty of Fujian Tulou lies not only in their external form and internal spaces but also in their integration with the surrounding environment, creating an ideal ecological setting. The tulou communities embody the ancient Chinese philosophy of harmony between humans and nature, striving for a balance of heaven, earth, and humanity.
With few exceptions, both circular and square tulou exhibit symmetrical layouts, a reflection of traditional Chinese ethical order. Central to this structure is the main building, which enhances familial cohesion: “When one rejoices, all celebrate; when one faces hardship, the whole community supports.” This illustrates the emphasis on ancestor veneration and the aesthetics of traditional architecture.
Consequently, British historian Joseph Needham referred to Fujian Tulou as “the most unique type of dwelling in China.” Interestingly, the live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Mulan” showcases a tulou as Mulan’s home.
**Interviewer:** What elements reflect the blend of Eastern and Western influences in Fujian Tulou?
**Huang Hanmin:** Fujian has historically been a significant starting point for the Maritime Silk Road. As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, Fujian people sailed to distant lands for opportunities. The diverse architectural styles of Fujian Tulou incorporate various Western architectural elements.
For instance, the famed “Prince of Tulou,” Zhencheng Lou, located in Yongding, features a structural composition of both timber and brick with “outer earth and inner western elements.” The layout shows influences from both courtyard-style residences and classical Western architecture, representing a masterpiece of blended styles.
The Er Yi Lou in Hua’an, often referred to as the “King of Tulou,” still houses over 900 painted wall murals. It features newspaper from the New York Times from 1931 on the ceiling and illustrations of Western beauties and clocks on the door, revealing its owner’s global perspective and “sea returnee” identity.
**Interviewer:** What progress has been made in the protection and revitalization of Fujian Tulou since their inclusion in the World Heritage List? What challenges do they face, and how can we enhance Sino-Western collaborative efforts to achieve sustainable heritage management?
**Huang Hanmin:** Since being added to the World Heritage List, the protection and utilization of Fujian Tulou have entered a new phase. Rural tourism around tulou has surged, prompting many young people who had moved away for work to return to operate tulou inns and local restaurants. Villagers are now the main caretakers of the heritage, with a decrease in illegal constructions, improved sanitation, and enhanced village environments.
However, only 46 of the tulou on the list represent about 1.5% of the total surveyed. Many non-heritage designated tulou remain abandoned or neglected, with very few still inhabited, indicating an urgent need to define development paths and revitalization strategies for these structures.
In 2022, I collaborated with Professor Xu Tiantian from Tsinghua University to select seven different types of dilapidated tulou for exploration into revitalization practices. By adapting current tulou forms and spaces, we aimed to retain their original character. Our design proposal won the only gold medal in the Asia-Pacific region at the Hao Rui Sustainable Architecture Competition and was showcased in Paris, serving as a classic case for the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional culture.
Francois Landet, curator at the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, praised the revitalization efforts for their consideration of the village environment and their respectful continuation of original construction techniques and spatial layouts. These interventions have revitalized these traditional structures, injecting new social, economic, and cultural vitality into the community.
Currently, it is essential to activate and utilize Fujian Tulou within a protection framework, promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning. Especially in light of the global drive for sustainability, countries like the United States and Japan are exploring new rammed earth techniques to build experimental earth structures, speeding up energy efficiency and carbon reduction in construction.
Fujian Tulou exemplifies the utilization of natural, clean resources and showcases innovative sustainable concepts, offering valuable lessons to other countries and regions in heritage protection and updating practices. We look forward to further interdisciplinary exploration and collaboration in architecture, local culture, and society, fostering cross-cultural exchanges and creating a shared beautiful future.
