Fujian Tulou is a type of Chinese rural dwellings of the Hakka and Minnan people in the mountainous areas in Fujian Province. From the 12th century to 19th century, armed bandits plagued southern China and the people of Fujian first built strongholds on top of mountains as a defense. These early strongholds later evolved into Fujian Tulou. The layout of Fujian Tulou followed the Chinese dwelling tradition of "closed outside, open inside" concept: an enclosure wall with living quarters around the peripheral and a common courtyard at the center. A Tulou is usually a large, enclosed and fortified earth building, most commonly rectangular or circular in configuration, with very thick load-bearing rammed earth walls between three and five stories high and housing up to 100 families. A total of 46 Fujian Tulou sites have been inscribed in 2008 by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. [China.org.cn/Photo by Wang Jun]

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