Fujian earth building (PDF)

Fujian Tulou is a gem in traditional Chinese residential architecture, and among the greatest vernacular architectures in the world. It is a precious "e;living fossil"e; in the folk culture of China, and attracts numerous scholars and visits at home and abroad with its unique architectural form, distinct regional characteristics, deep cultural meanings and alluring mysteries. Since the 1980s, despite all the difficulties, the author has ventured into the remote mountain areas to investigate, survey and map the tulou in Fujian, to give it a clear definition of its prototype and scientific categorization. With the combination of text, images and drawings the author reconstructs its course of development from multiple perspectives. He also cites large amounts of typical tulous and settlements to discuss in-depth the ways of settlement, defense system, architectonics, spatial features, couplet culture and historical formation elements of Fujian tulou. It is a book that gives equal weight to texts and images, making it both profound and easy to understand, and shows in a comprehensive way the nonparallel jewel in world traditional dwellings to readers. It is an important reference book for Chinese and international architectural scholars, historians, archaeologists, architects, painters and tourists alike.