Raoping Tulou

Raoping Tulou

Raoping Tulou is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangdong Province.

Raoping Tulou

Dao Yun Lou is situated in Nanlian Village, Sanrao Town, Raoping County. It was built in the 15th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1587) and features a distinctive Eight Trigrams layout, consisting of three courtyards and three concentric walls that form the lines of the Bagua diagram. The building faces south and covers an area of 10,000 square meters, with a perimeter of 328 meters, a diameter of 101 meters, and walls 11.6 meters high. It has three and a half stories and is entirely constructed from rammed earth. At its center lies an open plaza. The tulou includes 56 main rooms, 16 corner rooms, and 32 wells. The outer walls are equipped with gun and cannon ports, and the top of the main gate features a hidden water channel—an unusual feature. Although parts of the structure were damaged during the commune period, it remains relatively well-preserved today. Among the 655 tulou fortresses in Raoping County, it stands out as one of the oldest, largest, and most uniquely styled.

Run Feng Lou

Raoping County is home to a total of 655 tulou fortresses, among which Run Feng Lou is one of the more sizable and distinctive. Located in Fenglian Village, Xinfeng Town, Raoping County, it sits against "Beitou Mountain" (west of Provincial Highway Baifeng Line) and was built during the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang era. The structure is circular, facing north, and covers an area of 1,846 square meters, with a diameter of 48.5 meters and a perimeter of 152.5 meters. It is two and a half stories tall, features two courtyards and a central atrium, and is entirely built from rammed earth with shell lime plaster on the exterior. There are 29 housing units, one shared well, and a plaza with a Bagua-shaped open area in the center. The complex also includes auxiliary buildings such as the Sima Mansion, Rulin Mansion, Tiao Qin Zhai, and Guang Ye Xuan. Compact and well-structured, Run Feng Lou is fairly well-preserved.

Nan Yang Lou

Nan Yang Lou is located in Yongshan Village, Shanshan Town, Raoping County, bordering Meizhou’s Dabu County. Originally built in the 2nd year of the Jianwen era of the Ming Dynasty (1400 AD), this circular tulou faces 34 degrees northwest and spans an area of 1,561 square meters, with a diameter of 44.6 meters and a perimeter of 138.44 meters. It is three and a half stories tall, features two courtyards and a central atrium, and contains 26 rooms—all built from rammed earth. At its center is a circular plaza with a well. Above the gate, the name “Nan Yang Lou” is engraved in relief, flanked by a couplet. It is one of the better-preserved structures among Raoping County’s 655 tulou fortresses.

Zhen Fu Lou

Zhen Fu Lou is located in Makeng Village, Shangrao Town, Raoping County, backed by "Xiyian Mountain" (west of Provincial Highway Baifeng Line). Built in the 11th year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1413 AD), it has an elliptical shape and faces 8 degrees southeast. Covering an area of 6,936 square meters—with a north-south span of 97.7 meters and a perimeter of 295.4 meters—the structure is three and a half stories tall, has three courtyards and three atriums, and includes 60 rooms, all built from rammed earth with internal shell lime plastering. At its center lies an oval plaza with an octagonal well. The top of the gate features a stone-carved inscription of “Zhen Fu Lou.” As the largest tulou in Raoping’s Hakka region, it remains relatively intact.

Xin Cai Lou

Xin Cai Lou is situated in Chitang Village, Raoyang Town, Raoping County, backed by "Xiyian Mountain" (west of Provincial Highway Baifeng Line). This circular tulou faces 23 degrees southeast, covers an area of 2,769.8 square meters, has a diameter of 59.4 meters, a perimeter of 186.59 meters, and is four and a half stories tall. It features two courtyards and a central atrium, is built entirely from rammed earth with shell lime plaster inside, and houses 32 rooms, one public hall, a central plaza, and two wells. As the tallest and most storied tulou in Raoping County, it remains in good condition. In 1982, the Pearl River Film Studio shot the movie "Heaven’s Gift" here, and in recent years, Taiwanese TV dramas have also been filmed on location.

On July 17, 2002, it was listed in the fourth group of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units.

Source: Raoping County People’s Government Website

Further Reading:

· Fourth Group of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units

Dao Yun Lou

Run Feng Lou

Xin Cai Lou

Zhen Fu Lou

Raoping Nan Yang Lou