Home Impregnable: Defense Mechanism

Abstract

It is even more important to have a defensive function for tulou that was constructed in a particular geographic and historical environment in the mountainous regions in western and southern Fujian. Since Hakka people in Tang and Song Dynasty moved toward the south and “southern bandits” were defeated by Chen Yuanguang in Tang Dynasty, various wars seems to have never stopped during thousands of years in the western and southern Fujian. The dwelling safeties are strongly needed by the local people because of on the one hand the conflict between “Hakka People” and “People in Fujian,” and the opposition between local rebels and the imperial court, on the other hand, the intrusion of Japanese pirates, fighting among the family clans, the wild animals being often found in the mountainous areas, and the rampant thieves, Fujian tulou were constructed to meet these needs.