Heaven and Earth—Sustaining Elements in Hakka Tulou

• Main Author: Keith D. Lowe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2012-10-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: Hakka Tulou; sustainability; Hakka culture; Han culture; Heaven and Earth; rammed earth; earth buildings; round house (yuanlou); oval house (weilonglou); five-phoenix house (wufenglou)
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/4/11/2795

Hakka culture reveals how the ancient Chinese lived. Hakka architecture yields much evidence that modern Hakka culture of the south flows from the ancient stream of the north. The genius of the Hakka is best seen in the unique roundhouses of the mountainous borderland of three provinces—Guangdong, Fujian and Jiangxi. However, in completing the fourth of five migrations, the Hakka returned to the traditional building styles of the northern plains of China and built Wufenglou on the plains of southern Guangdong province. The structures not only facilitate environmental sustainability, but endow the inhabitants with material, social and spiritual sustainability.