Fujian Tulou 福建土樓

【Photo Journey】《Fujian Tulou》: The coach was running along the hill road northbound to Tulou (lit. clay house) district at the South Stream in Fujian, China. Here was a valley of 10 odd kilometers long in the suburb where the meandering South Stream was flowing. On either side of the stream were stepped fields. Village houses were built on the hill slopes, either gathered or scattered.
Soon, Tulou began to appear one after the other on the river banks, more than 100 in total. They were typical residential houses in oval or square shapes. Two, three or five in a group, forming the famous Tulou complex or the "Walled City of Tulou at South Stream".  I first saw Tulou in Chinese movies. These houses were in several storeys built with clay and wood for group residence. I thought that it was a kind of communal living. Tulou had more than 100 years in history. Though their facade was renewed, most of the internal structures appeared old and dilapidated, some were even in the verge of collapse. 

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Photo equipment:
Nikon Coolpix P7800
iPhone 6s with 645 PRO
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 【光影記行】《福建土樓》 旅遊車沿着山路往北朝着福建南溪土樓區行駛。這裡是長長十多公里的山峽。一條蜿蜒的南溪沿着谷底流着。河流兩岸是梯田，村莊石屋建在山坡上，密集的，疏落的。不久，土樓陸續出現在河流的兩岸，這裡共有百多座土樓，圓形的，方形的，兩座或三四座建在一起，形成著名的南溪土樓群，也被人稱為「南溪土樓長城」。我認識土樓，是中國拍攝的電影中才見過。這些特別的圓形多層建築物是用泥土和木材建成的住宅，這是族群生活的一種方式。土樓有過百年的歷史，雖然外表都已翻新，但大部份的內部建設仍是殘舊不堪，有些看來搖搖欲墜。

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(Click photo for a larger view)

【 Tulou at South Stream ● 南溪土樓】

#1. Oval-shapped Tulou
園形土樓

#2. South Stream
南溪

#3. Scenery through the coach window
車窗外風光

#4. Group of Tulou
土樓群

#5. Square-shaped Tulou at South Stream
南溪方形土樓

#6. Beautiful reflection
美麗的倒影

#7. Fu Xing Lou (left) and Qing Fu Lou (right)
福興樓 (左) 與慶福樓 (右)

#8. South Stream
南溪

#9. Tulou village
土樓村

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【 Outside Tulou ● 土樓外貌】

#10. Awaiting visitors for the living
為幹活等候遊人

#11. Part of their way of living
這是生活的一部份

#12. The good, the bad or the ugly?
是好,是壞還是醜陋？

#13. The outside wall looks coarse and not presentable?
外牆看來粗糙難成大雅？

#14. A short path with history of ages
路短歲月長

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【 Inside Tulou ● 土樓內貌】

#15. Main gate
正門

#16. Connecting corridors
通廊

#17. Main entrance of  Tulou
土樓正門

#18. Middle hall
中廳

#19. Ancestor hall
祖廳

#20. Internal setup of the ancestor hall
祖廳內部陳設

#21. Red lanterns: a contrast of the new and old
大紅燈籠高高掛：新與舊的對比

#22. Old and dilapidated internal structure
殘舊建築

#23. Internal corridors
內部走廊

#24. Eaves over eaves
檐上簷

#25. Wide open roof
寬敞通天

#26. Stepped roofs
梯簷

#27. Arch door
拱門

#28. A corner of tranquility
寧靜的一角

#29. Couplets of blessings
祝福對聯

#30. Solitary
寂

#31. Residence
居所

#32. Where are they?
他們在哪?

#33. Two stairs
兩道樓梯

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【Tien Yi Lou ● 天一樓】

#34. Tien Yi Lou
天一樓

#35. A hand-written description of Tien Yi Lou
手寫天一樓簡介

#36. Visitors
遊客

#37. Inside view of Tien Yi Lou
天一樓內貌

#38. A panoramic view of internal structure
內部全景照