Of the residential buildings of all types found anywhere in China -maybe anywhere in the world, tu lou compounds found in parts of Fujian and Guangdong on the Chinese coast are probably the most unique in construction style and structure. A tu lou compound is home to scores of families belonging to the same clan. Seen from a distance, tu lou compounds, cone-shaped or rectangular, look like castles. A tu lou compound is enclosed by a round wall of rammed earth up to two meters thick and as tall as a four- or five-story building, with a few window-like holes dug through its upper part.

    This phenomenon, which is not to be found elsewhere in the world, is attributed to wars in ancient times that forced people in the north to flee to Fujian. Guangdong and other parts of China's deep south. The immigrants, known as "Hakkas" or "guest people", were not to live in peace, as clashes with natives were common occurrences due to cultural and psychological differences

and conflicting interests. In order to survive, families of a Hakka clan had to live together and, as time went by, learned to build those castle- like tu lou compounds for self-defense. But thanks to this, their ancient clan culture and folkways have been preserved to this day.

    Cone-shaped tu lou compounds interest visitors more than those rectangular in shape. A cone-shaped tu lou compound of the average size is somewhere between 50 and 60 meters in diameters, but there are still larger ones with a diameter as great as 90 meters. Let's have a look at the Chengqi Compound at Yongding County, Fujian Province, a typical tu lou compound built in mid-Qing period. The compound, 62 meters in diameter, is surrounded by walls as high as ten meters. Buildings inside the compound form three enclosures, one within another, which together have more than 300 rooms. The innermost enclosure, where the clan's ancestors are worshipped, is the venue of meetings, weddings and funerals. The outermost enclosure turns out to be a four-story cone-shaped building. Rooms on the first floor are used as kitchens and storerooms. Food grain is stored in rooms on the second floor. The third and four floors are the living quarters of the families.

    As we have mentioned, tu lou compounds were initially meant for self-defense, hence their thick, strong outer walls -- one to 2.5 meters thick and of rammed earth strengthened with lime. Such walls became increasingly strong and hardened as time went by, so strong that some have withstood bombardment without collapsing. Even stronger is the foundation of the walls which, in most cases, is built with large pebbles, so that the enemy finds it impossible to tunnel into the compound through it. All windows are open inwardly.

    Meanwhile, there are bullet holes on the upper part of the outer walls. Tu lou compounds have few gates despite their huge size. The Chengqi Compound, for example, has only three. The gate frames are built with stone. The gates are of strong timber wrapped in iron sheets, which are supported by bolts crossing behind them. Water tanks are often found atop the gate -- a precaution against enemy attempt to set fire to the building. With sufficient grain and other supplies in reserve as well as water wells inside of it, the compound could withstand a prolonged siege.