Tulou Discovery | Fujian Nanjing Tulou + Yongding Tulou In-Depth 2-Day Tour (Hakka Culture/Cuisine)

This morning, you will depart from Xiamen and drive about 150 kilometers (about 2.5 hours) to visit the Nanjing Tulou. More than 15,000 Nanjing tulou still exist. They are a typical representative of Fujian Hakka tulou and a treasure of Chinese vernacular architecture, long known as "the world's unique mountain village dwellings." Among them, the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, Hekeng Tulou Cluster, Huaiyuan Lou, and Hegui Lou were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008. After arriving, first visit the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster. First built in 1662, it is the settlement of the Huang clan of the Hakka people. It is famous for its unique layout resembling "four dishes and one soup" and is the most recognizable landscape of Fujian tulou. It consists of 1 square building (Buyun Lou), 3 circular buildings (Hechang Lou, Zhenchang Lou, Ruiyun Lou), and 1 oval building (Wenchang Lou). These five tulou follow the layout of mutual generation among the Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) and have long been praised as a "world architectural marvel" and an "outstanding representative of Chinese feng shui architecture." Recommended visiting route: Upper Viewing Platform (overlook the full "four dishes and one soup" panorama, like "plum blossoms blooming" or a "flying saucer landing") -> Buyun Lou (symbolizing "rising steadily in the world," where you can overlook scenes of Hakka clan life) -> Hechang Lou/Zhenchang Lou/Ruiyun Lou (you can photograph the same courtyard view as in the film Big Fish & Begonia) -> Wenchang Lou (the only oval tulou in Nanjing, symbolizing "flourishing literary fortune," where you can photograph the beautiful blend of tulou and terraced fields) -> Lower Viewing Platform (look up at the tulou cluster and terraced fields, resembling the Potala Palace) Lunch will feature delicious Hakka cuisine, letting you experience the local Hakka way of life. If interested, you can also try mellow Hakka rice wine. After lunch, head to Xiaban (Xiaban) Village, where streams flow through and terraced fields surround it. Twelve ancient tulou are scattered on both banks of the stream. Among them, Yuchang Lou is the key tulou we will visit. Built in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties (about 1308-1368), Yuchang Lou is one of China's oldest surviving circular tulou and is honored as the "father of Fujian tulou." It is also known for the wonder of being "leaning east and slanting west," because the pillars on the 3rd and 4th floors tilt 15 degrees clockwise while the 5th floor tilts counterclockwise. After more than 700 years of wind and rain, it remains stable and is called the "No. 1 wonder building of China." You can stroll and admire the architectural wonder of the "leaning east and slanting west," observe the daily life of Hakka tulou residents up close, or chat with local Hakka people to learn more wonderful tulou stories and unique folk culture. In addition, remember to taste a cup of oolong tea brewed by locals, which is very sweet and delicious. Afterward, head to visit the Hekeng Tulou Cluster. The Hekeng Tulou Cluster is one of the most concentrated World Cultural Heritage sites among Fujian tulou, famous for its unique "Big Dipper" layout and the architectural wonder of square and circular tulou interwoven together. Among them, Chaoshu Lou (built during the Jiajing period of the Ming dynasty, the oldest square tulou) and Yuxing Lou (a modern circular tulou) are highly representative and well worth seeing. In addition, you can climb to the Shizishan Viewing Platform to overlook the full "Big Dipper" panorama and take the most outstanding travel photos. It is worth noting that the Hekeng Tulou Cluster was also the inspiration and prototype filming location for Mulan's hometown in Disney's live-action film Mulan. If interested, you can check in at the same scenes from the movie. Then, head to the ancient Hakka village of Taxia Village. Taxia Village is distributed along a stream in an "S" shape, with two circular tulou (Yude Lou and Shunchang Lou) on either side of the stream, resembling a taiji pattern, giving it the name "Taiji Water Village." In addition, its beautiful mountains and waters, excellent air and spring water, and the healthy lifestyle of the villagers have earned it the reputation of a "Longevity Village." Moreover, 11 concrete bridges and some tulou in the village were funded and built by overseas Chinese, giving it a strong overseas Chinese hometown character. You can stroll and admire the picturesque ancient village scenery and tulou buildings of various shapes. Among them, Yude Lou (Weiqun Lou) and Deyuan Hall Zhang Clan Ancestral Temple (China's most complete group of 24 stone dragon flagpoles) are worth careful appreciation. Overnight stay in Taxia Village. Notes 1. When visiting the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, you can choose to hike or take the sightseeing bus. 2. Hekeng Tulou Cluster: After getting off at the entrance, you need to walk about 15 minutes to reach the main tulou buildings. 3. If you go to Taxia Village in autumn, you can see Hakka people drying persimmons outside the tulou, and the whole village is filled with the sweet fragrance of persimmons. 4. If you are interested in oolong tea, you can contact our customer service in advance, and we can take you to a local tea garden near Taxia Village to experience tea picking. 5. The Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster and Chuxi Tulou Cluster are both great places to view terraced fields and take beautiful photos. 6. In autumn, you can take this rare opportunity to pick fresh local fruit and even try some farm work.

This morning, you will depart from the Nanjing Tulou and drive about 10 kilometers (about 20 minutes) to the Yongding Tulou. There are more than 23,000 surviving Hakka tulou in Yongding, far exceeding the Nanjing Tulou in both scale and number, ranking first in Fujian. They form the largest and oldest tulou cluster in China and even the world, and are known as the "Home of Tulou" and the "Pearl of Oriental Architecture." In 2008, as the main part of Fujian Tulou, they were inscribed on the World Heritage List. In addition, you will also have the chance to explore filming locations of the popular Chinese film Big Fish & Begonia, such as Chengqi Lou, the home of Chun. In the morning, first visit the Gaobei Tulou Cluster, known as the "Tulou King Scenic Area." This has been the settlement of the Jiang family since the Yuan Dynasty, is one of the most representative tulou clusters in Yongding, Fujian, and is also a living museum of Hakka culture and architectural aesthetics. Among them, Chengqi Lou (first built during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty, taking 81 years to complete, 73 meters in diameter, containing 400 rooms, known as the "Tulou King," once featured on a Chinese residential stamp, and the prototype of the "Divine Enclosure" in Big Fish & Begonia), Wuyun Lou (built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the oldest surviving tulou of the Jiang family; its wall leans 1.5 meters yet has stood for a century, hence also called the "Unfallen Building"), Shize Lou (a square tulou, a typical Hakka communal dwelling with the layout of "one gate, two wells, three halls, four staircases"), and Qiaofu Lou (its ancestral hall is a Chinese-Western architectural style; it is called the "Doctor Building" because the family produced 11 PhDs) are the essence of the Gaobei Tulou Cluster and are well worth careful appreciation. Excellent photography spots in the Gaobei Tulou Cluster 1. The wonder of "square and round in a single line of sky" formed by the square Shize Lou and the round Chengqi Lou 2. The panoramic scenery beside the rice fields outside Chengqi Lou, with an even better atmosphere in the early morning or at dusk 3. Framing Chengqi Lou through the doorway of Shize Lou to capture the geometric beauty of "a circle within a square" 4. The night view of lanterns at Qiaofu Lou, very suitable for warm-toned light and shadow photography. In the afternoon, drive to the Chuxi Tulou Cluster, the most primitive and most Hakka-culturally rich tulou cluster in Yongding, Fujian. Nestled against mountains and beside water, surrounded by terraced fields and threaded by streams, it is known as "China's most beautiful tulou cluster" and has different charms in all four seasons. In March and April, you can enjoy golden seas of rapeseed flowers and the charming spring scenery of the tulou; in September and October, you can enjoy the intoxicating autumn harvest scenery. Among them, Jiqing Lou (built in 1419, one of the oldest surviving round buildings in Yongding, built entirely without a single iron nail using pure wooden mortise-and-tenon structure, with a unique design of 72 staircases), Shanqing Lou (donated and built by overseas Chinese in 1979; its white outer wall stands out uniquely among the tulou cluster and it is a rare single-ring round tulou with no interior structures), Gengqing Lou (built in 1849, only 33 meters in diameter and 3 stories high, with three rammed-earth partition walls as a major feature), and Shengqing Lou (a square tulou composed of two square tulou, one inside and one outside) are the most representative tulou buildings of the Chuxi Tulou Cluster, allowing you to fully enjoy the tulou landscape of "three round and one square." In addition, you can climb the viewing platform to overlook the full panorama of round, rectangular, square, and hexagonal tulou clusters surrounded by terraced fields. Morning mist or sunset is the best time for photography, and the scenery is best in autumn when the rice waves turn golden. After the tour, this wonderful and unforgettable 2-day Fujian Tulou journey will come to an end. Our driver will take you back to Xiamen (about 3 hours), to your hotel, or to the airport/train station for your next destination.