Hakeng Tulou Cluster

Hakeng Tulou Cluster

The Hakeng Tulou Cluster is a cultural heritage site protected by Fujian Province.

The Hakeng Tulou Cluster is located in Hakeng Natural Village, Dianjiang Village, Shuyang Town, about 12 kilometers west of the Shuyang Town government. There are three tulou clusters with a total of 27 buildings, among which the oldest, Chaoshui Lou, was built in 1549. The famous "Big Dipper" tulou cluster is situated here.

From the summit of Lion Earth-Freeze Mountain, you can see three tulou clusters of different shapes from three directions, totaling 27 buildings. To the right front, at the junction of an open area and a hillside, there are seven tulou: Dongsheng Lou, Xiaochun Lou, Yongqing Lou, Chun Gui Lou, Shengqing Lou,

Nan dong Lou, and Yongrong Lou, which together form the "Big Dipper."

Looking to the left front, two small rivers converge at the foot of the mountain, forming the village’s feng shui symbol — the "T-shaped waterway." Along both banks of this T-shaped river, there are six square tulou and three round tulou.

Looking further left and rearward, in Qujiang Natural Village, there are 11 tulou including Qingnan Lou and Qingyu Lou.

Walking among the tall yet earthy and rustic tulou of Hakeng Village offers a serene, pastoral retreat. Each tulou is built on a foundation of river stones, with thick earthen walls, typically three or four stories high and standing steep and straight like blades.

These tulou are enclosed structures, with only one main gate on the ground floor. The gate towers feature semi-circular stone arches, and the door bolts are all sturdy hardwood beams around six inches square and over three meters long, inserted deep into the walls. The doors cannot be opened or closed without at least two people. The second and third floors have evenly spaced windows along the outer corridors, arranged in a well-balanced layout.

In the center of each tulou is a courtyard, surrounded by evenly divided sections — each about four meters wide and over three meters deep — which are the living rooms. Larger tulou, such as Dongsheng Lou, Chun Gui Lou, and Yuchang Lou, have 36 rooms per floor, accommodating over 100 people. The rooms in round tulou are shaped like axe heads, and when viewed from the courtyard, the structure resembles a tall wooden barrel, giving a distinct feeling of "looking at the sky from the bottom of a well."

Time Needed

1–2 hours

Transportation

Take a train to Nanjing Railway Station, then take the tourist bus just outside the station directly to the site. Buses run approximately once every hour, cost 20 RMB per person, and the journey takes about 1.5 hours;

or transfer to a tulou shuttle bus at Nanjing Bus Station, 20 RMB per person;

or hire a private car, around 40 RMB per person

Ticket Price

50 RMB per person

Opening Hours

7:00-19:00

Location

Hakeng Natural Village, Qujiangwei, Shuyang Town, Nanjing County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province.

Shuyang Town: Located in the southwestern part of Nanjing, Shuyang Town is traversed by Provincial Highway Shanchang and serves as a key border trade town at the intersection of Nanjing, Pinghe, and Yongding counties. It holds a unique geographical advantage. The town covers an area of 184 square kilometers, governs 21 autonomous villages and one neighborhood committee, with a total population of over 30,000. It has nearly 50,000 overseas Chinese, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, making it one of the key hometowns of overseas Chinese in Zhangzhou.

The town is not only a historic and cultural destination but also one of the key areas for tulou tourism in the county. It boasts over 400 tulou of various shapes, including the Tianluo Tulou Cluster, Hakeng Tulou… More info on Shuyang Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Fujian Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites

Fujian Tulou

Fujian Tulou (Yongding) Scenic Area

Gaobei Tulou Cluster (Tulou King Scenic Area)

Hongkeng Tulou Cluster (Folk Culture Village)

Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster

Chuxi Tulou Cluster

Yuchang Lou

Dadi Tulou Cluster (Hua’an Tulou)

Nanjing Shengqing Lou

Yonggui Lou

Nanxun Lou

Yongrong Lou

Yongqing Lou

Chun Gui Lou

Chaoshui Lou

Yongsheng Lou

Xiaochun Lou

Yangzhao Lou