The most famous of all Fujian tulou, the Yongding roundhouses are vast rammed-earth fortresses — some housing whole clans of hundreds — set among terraced hills, and a centrepiece of the UNESCO World Heritage listing.
History & culture
Built by Hakka migrants from the Ming dynasty onward, these communal earthen buildings combined defence, clan living and Confucian order; the grandest, Zhencheng Lou, is nicknamed 'the prince of tulou'.
What to see & do
- ◆Hongkeng cluster and Zhencheng Lou
- ◆Chuxi cluster's circular roundhouses
- ◆Climbing for a top-down view of the rings
- ◆Staying overnight inside a working tulou
- ◆Hakka village lanes and ancestral halls
What to eat
- ●Hakka salt-baked chicken
- ●Stuffed tofu and clay-pot dishes
- ●Local rice wine
Getting there
From Xiamen or Longyan it's a 2–3h drive; tour buses and chartered cars are the usual way in, often visiting two clusters in a day.
Avoid the pitfalls
- Clusters (Hongkeng, Chuxi, Gaobei) are spread out — confirm which your ticket covers.
- An overnight stay lets you enjoy the tulou after day-trippers leave.
- These are people's homes — be a quiet, respectful guest.
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