Situated in Nanjing county, Zhangzhou, East China’s Fujian province, Yunshuiyao (original name Changjiao) Ancient Town has a long history and is one of the scenic spots of the world heritage site, the Fujian Tulou. There is a magnificent banyan tree group in the town consisting of 13 banyan trees, some of which are thousands of years old, including the province’s biggest banyan tree.
Yunshuiyao Ancient Town is renowned for its unique tulou clusters at the foot of the mountain. Fifty-three of these earthen buildings,which were first constructed in the mid Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), are still standing today and are in different shapes and styles. The town is also home to stilted buildings, bamboo pole buildings and mansion-style earthen buildings. In addition to being a world cultural heritage, the town is home to the Hegui Building, which is built on marshland and is called “the oddest structure in the world”, and the Huaiyuan Building, which is an exquisite and well-preserved double-ring earthen building.
The super stars of Yunshuiyao Old Town are Hegui Building and Huaiyuan Building. These two precious earthen buildings have been added into the World Heritage Site list in 2008, together with other 44 Fujian Tulou buildings.
Huaiyuan Building
Huaiyuan Building (怀远楼) is the kind of unique round earthen building that has two rings instead of one ring in total, with one ring built inside another. The outer ring in four storeys high is the main living area for sleeping, cooking and storing, while the inner one built in the center of the courtyard is a school, namely Sishisi (斯是室). The school is also the vital place for important activities like ancestors worship. Huaiyuan Building is the only Tulou that has a school built inside, which is one of the great reasons that make it standout from more than 15,000 earthen buildings of this region. Besides, the school is also a strong evidence of its owners’ cultivation and social status. Even in such a remote area that far from any mainstream civilization, the Hakka ancestors living at Huaiyuan Building never gave up the instruction of their children. Just as the name Huaiyuan implied, the ancestors expected their children to work hard with great ambitions.
Huaiyuan Building is also famed for its exquisite workmanship and decorations. The building is well-equipped with four outlooks, three irrigation channels, fire-proof mechanisms and shooting ports, etc. In addition to these defense measures, Huaiyuan Building is also decorated with delicate and elaborate paintings and wooden sculptures. On and between pillars and beams inside the school lie various dazzling carvings, like auspicious clouds, vividly dragon and lions and so on. Every piece and every corner of Huaiyuan Building have been well-preserved, allowing the visitors to have a glimpse of its ancient life there.
Hegui Building
Hegui Building (和贵楼) is praised as "The Oddest Tulou in the World" and "The Noah's Ark on the Swampland", because it is constructed on the marshland. Tough more than 200 years has past, it still stands steadily. However, if you make jumps there, you will feel the earth shaking under your feet. Hegui Building is also the tallest square Tulou listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is in 5-storey high, which is really incredible when take the swampland into account.