Tianluokeng's 'four dishes and a soup' from above

Fujian Tulou: Tianluokeng cluster

田螺坑土楼群 · Nanjing County, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China

Foto: Windmemories · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Hakka 'four dishes and a soup': a clan epic in giant rammed-earth buildings.

Antes de ir · Know before you go

  • People still live in the tulou, so tread softly and speak quietly
  • don't enter bedrooms or photograph interiors without the owners' permission.

Este artículo está «Sin verificar». Consulte los avisos oficiales sobre precios, horarios y fechas.

Culture

Cultura y costumbres

Contexto cultural

The Tianluokeng cluster is made up of one square, three round and one oval tulou, which from above look like 'four dishes and a soup'; it became a World Heritage Site in 2008. Tulou are defensive communal homes where Hakka clans lived together, built of rammed earth that stays warm in winter and cool in summer; each building is a clan society in itself — a family tree in three dimensions.

Costumbres locales

  • The Hakka value their clans and farming and study
  • their Spring Festival and Lantern Festival processions and lantern fairs are lively, and residents still share wells and worship at a common ancestral hall. Authentic Hakka dishes such as braised pork with preserved greens and salt-baked chicken are savoury and hearty.

Religión y creencias

  • Hakka areas mostly revere Mazu, Guan Yu and Bogong (the earth god)
  • the ancestral hall is the centre of clan worship, so be respectful and don't walk in uninvited.

Etiquette

Normas y tabúes

Normas que se aplican aquí

Línea rojaSeguridadChina

China: don't get physical in a dispute

  • Walk away from an argument and call the police if needed
  • Pushing, shoving or fighting

Whoever starts it, taking part in a fight can bring a fine or detention, and the injured party usually demands compensation.

Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: China travel advice

Línea rojaModales cotidianosChina

China: carry your original passport

  • Foreign visitors should carry their original passport
  • Carrying only a copy or photo of your passport

Police make random ID checks and do not accept printouts; if you cannot show your passport, you may be fined or detained.

Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: China travel advice

No lo haga DON'T

  • People still live in the tulou, so tread softly and speak quietly
  • don't enter bedrooms or photograph interiors without the owners' permission.

Lo que aprecian los locales DO

  • Tulou residents love making gongfu tea and chatting
  • older people often gather in the courtyards to tell stories.

Plan your visit

Información práctica

Consejos de viaje

  • The best viewpoint is the hilltop platform overlooking the whole 'four dishes and a soup'
  • go in the late afternoon for soft light. Combine with the Yunshuiyao ancient road and Huaiyuan Lou
  • staying a night in a tulou guesthouse lets you feel how the rammed earth keeps it warm in winter and cool in summer
  • check tickets on the official website.

Eat nearby

Qué comer cerca

Imprescindible

  • Hakka salt-baked chicken
  • Braised pork with preserved mustard greens
  • Tulou dried bamboo shoots / bitter greens

Hakka salt-baked chicken, meicai kourou (pork belly with preserved mustard greens), tulou dried bamboo shoots / bitter greens (wild vegetables), beef balls / Hetian chicken, Hakka sweet rice wine / lei cha (pounded tea)

Dónde comerFarmhouse restaurants in Tianluokeng / Xiaban village, restaurants in Nanjing county town, Hakka restaurants in Taxia village
Normas en la mesaHakka people are hospitable and will toast you — drink within your limits; don't wander into residents' private homes inside the tulou
Precio orientativo por personaCNY 50–90
ConsejosAt scenic-area farmhouse restaurants, check whether dishes are priced per portion or per jin before ordering; mountain roads are winding, so those prone to car sickness should avoid greasy food.

Los precios son orientativos a octubre de 2026, no presupuestos exactos; en zonas con tipos de cambio muy variables solo se da un intervalo aproximado en yuanes.

Hakka salt-baked chicken
Hakka salt-baked chicken
HaJunkiyada · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photos

Fotos

Fuentes y notas de verificación

Wikipedia:Fujian tulou