Meet the “Big Fish Begonia” in the Deep Mountains

The Circular Earthen Castles of the Hakka People seen commonly in Longyan, Nanjing and Hua’an counties in Fujian, making the most of the mountainous terrain and local building materials such as raw earth, wood and mountain stones, are not only economical and exceptionally solid, but also defensive and aesthetically pleasing. On May 20, 2006, the building technique was included in the first batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list. The craftsmanship is exquisite, and the planning and construction are elaborate, making full use of the natural terrain to align the layout of the houses reasonably, such that the houses are in harmony with nature. The structure of the buildings is of many different forms, featuring rich and orderly interior space and exquisite decorative techniques. The Circular Earthen Castles of the Hakka People are a vivid manifestation of Hakka architectural culture, inheriting the ancient Chinese earthen construction techniques and preserving the excellent architectural traditions, making it a living fossil for the study of ancient building techniques.