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Glamorous and magnificent castles can be found worldwide, but castles made of clay are unique to the Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel. This architectural marvel has stood for centuries in China and was prominently featured in the backdrop of the 2020 film 'Mulan,' starring the enchanting Liu Yifei. If you've seen the movie, you'll surely recognize these distinctive houses. Explore this '1-0-2' clay kingdom with Mytour.
About Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel, China
Terracotta Citadel, commonly known as Thổ Lâu, refers to unique houses in various shapes like squares, ovals, and pentagons in Phúc Kiến, China. Translated from Chinese, Thổ Lâu means houses made of clay. In reality, Thổ Lâu is concentrated in two major cities, Long Nham and Chương Châu, boasting around 20,000 and 15,000 houses respectively. The terracotta houses in Phúc Kiến are collectively referred to as a heritage complex. In July 2008, Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel was officially recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.
The terracotta houses resemble sturdy fortress walls, providing inhabitants protection from external intrusions (Image Source: Compiled)
Terracotta castles, built with incredibly durable clay, stand like colossal sand fortresses seen in Chinese historical dramas. Although Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel is an architectural wonder existing for centuries, it was only recently discovered by scholars. Thanks to its unique architecture, the terracotta complex has attracted numerous domestic and international tourists. Among them, 10 houses, with a lifespan of 600 years, are dubbed the 'living fossils' of China.
Who are the Owners of Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel?
The owners of Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel are the Guest People. According to ancient accounts, the Guest People are a minority group in China. In reality, the Guest People are actually the Han people today. The term 'Guest People' originates from the migration of the Han people from the North to the South. Despite settling in 'foreign lands,' they still consider themselves as guests living far from their homeland.
The Guest People conceived the design idea and implemented the construction of this grand architectural project (Image Source: Compiled)
From a historical perspective, the Han people from the North had three major migrations to the South. However, during the migration, the Northern people faced difficulties adapting to the new environment and culture. They even had strong conflicts with the indigenous people. This is the main reason that motivated the Guest People to build unique terracotta architecture and culture.
The most impressive feature of the terracotta is a large community consisting of many families living together in a large building. However, the rooms in each family's terracotta are still independent and equal spaces, similar to modern apartments today.
The History of the Formation of Terracotta Architecture
The history of the formation of the Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel complex is closely linked with the arduous migrations of the Guest People to settle in the South. The Guest People often lived with the Baiyue people after arriving in the South. Here, they faced difficulties in cultural and linguistic barriers, leading to conflicts with the indigenous people, bandits, and wild beasts. This is also the reason why the Guest People created communal houses. This not only helped them deal with external forces but also ensured long-term stability in life.
The Unique Architecture of Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel
Exterior Architecture of Terracotta
Due to external threats, Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel often has sturdy architecture. Terracotta buildings are not just places to live and gather but also solid fortresses to protect the Guest People. Therefore, terracotta buildings often have 4 to 5 floors with a height of tens of meters.
Furthermore, the terracotta only has a single main door and no windows on the ground floor. The rationale behind this is that the main door (or gate) becomes a crucial point, often made of stone or iron, to prevent fires and attacks from the outside.
The exterior architecture of the fortifications is designed quite simply with the function of 'protective defense line' (Image Source: Compiled)
The clay walls are built very sturdy, with a thickness of up to 2 meters. Once the gate is closed, no external force can attack. Moreover, terracotta can withstand strong earthquakes.
Interior Architecture of Terracotta
Inside the terracotta, it is divided into separate rooms for each family to live in. Unlike the exterior architecture, the interior rooms are meticulously designed with a good ventilation system. This not only brings warmth in winter but also coolness in summer.
Typically, the first floor of the terracotta is used as a kitchen cum living room. The second floor is a storage for food reserves. As for the third floor and above, they are arranged as bedrooms. And from the third floor upwards, terracotta starts to have windows for ventilation as well as to observe enemy attacks.
The interior design of the terracotta is quite similar to modern-day apartments (Image Source: Compiled)
Currently, Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel has thousands of terracotta houses of various sizes. Some notable large terracotta include Châu Thành Citadel, Thừa Khải Citadel, Vĩnh Xương Citadel, Điền Loa Khanh,... Among them, Thừa Khải Citadel is considered the largest terracotta ever with a capacity of up to 6000 people living together in 400 houses and over 80 families. This is also the first circular-shaped building built in Phúc Kiến in 1371.
The Significance of Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel to Popular Culture
Although Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel was built centuries ago. However, this ancient relic is a unique combination of Chinese beliefs and modern vision and thinking. Besides its profound historical significance, the lifestyle represented by terracotta is also a cultural symbol of ancient Chinese people. It's not an exaggeration to say that Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel is the first ancient apartment complex in China.
In reality, the population living in Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel has been decreasing significantly over the years. The main reason is that young people seek opportunities for development in big cities. However, thanks to the local government's promotion and tourism policies, Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel remains vibrant with lively festivals.
When is the Best Time to Visit Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel?
Phúc Kiến enjoys a mild climate all year round. However, from March to August, there will be rain and storms. Stepping into the dry season (from September to December), this is the ideal time to visit Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel.
Despite the ups and downs of time, Phúc Kiến Terracotta Citadel still retains the beauty of traditional Chinese culture. If you have the opportunity to visit Phúc Kiến, don't miss the chance to explore and admire the unique and singular clay kingdom in China. Contact Mytour via hotline Mytour to book affordable China tours!
