Chuxi Tulou Cluster, Earthen communal dwellings in Yongding County, China

Chuxi Tulou Cluster is a group of communal dwellings built from rammed earth with circular and rectangular designs rising to five stories high. The complex sits on hilly terrain and includes multiple interconnected structures arranged around central courtyards.

The Xu clan settled in Chuxi in the 14th century, and the village's first tulou, Heqing Lou, was their ancestral building. Jiqing Lou, the largest and oldest in the cluster, was built in 1419 under the Yongle Emperor. Later tulous were named with the character qing to express a wish for a growing population. Ten of the 36 tulous were inscribed as part of the Fujian Tulou UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008.

The village is inhabited by the Xu (徐) clan, who settled here in the 14th century. The first tulou, Heqing Lou, was the ancestral building, and every later tulou was given a name containing the character qing (庆), expressing a wish for a flourishing population. Ten of the tulous are listed in the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The site is best reached by bus from nearby cities like Xiamen or Fuzhou, with the journey taking several hours. Local guides are available on-site to show you the buildings and explain how they are arranged.

In the 1960s, American satellites photographed the round tulou of Chuxi, and analysts reportedly took them for missile bases because of their size and shape. The mix-up shows how unfamiliar the earthen ring buildings were to observers outside China.