Tulou homes added to World Heritage list

By Chen Qian  |   2008-7-7  |     ONLINE EDITION

A group of Tulou houses in Fujian Province in southeastern China which have just been given world heritage status by UNESCO. This Tulou complex was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List yesterday during the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee in Quebec.

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THE famous earthen homes in Fujian Province have been added to the United Nation's World Heritage list over the weekend, Xinhuanet.com reported today.

Known as tulou in Chinese, 46 homes were accepted by the World Heritage list during the 32th Session of the World Heritage Committee yesterday in Quebec, Canada.

The unique Chinese architecture, mostly found in the mountainous areas of southwestern Fujian, can be traced back to the Song and Yuan dynasties. The design and architecture was upgraded in the Qing Dynasty, the report said.

The homes are usually enclosed and can be square, circular or oval-shaped with a very thick earth wall that is reinforced with wood. They have only one entrance that is guarded by four- to five-inch thick wooden doors reinforced with an outer shell of iron. The top level of these earth building have gun holes for defense against bandits, the report said.

There are about 3,000 tulou left in Fujian Province. "Tulou is unique Chinese architecture. Its special design, defense system and history has attracted world attention," said Huang Hanmin, chief architect with the Fujian Institute of Architectural Design and Research.

Tulou are mostly built with timber, cobble and soil. They are three-to five-stories high and usually house dozens of families.

Most tulou are found in Yongding and Nanjing counties and they are well preserved and protected, the report said. One tulou in Yongding County has 384 rooms and once housed more than 800 people.

The World Heritage List has added 36 Chinese sites since 1987. Once on the list, they qualify for money from the World Heritage Fund to allow them to develop into major tourist attractions.

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