Professor of Hong Kong University keeps world heritage of China’s tulou alive

Nine hundred years ago, Chinese built large enclosed earthen "castles" called tulou to guard against enemies. Although it is peaceful now, these earthen structures are still being used as dwelling places. Many of these shining examples of Chinese architectural structures have become World Heritage sites and have attracteda lot of film directors, including the director behind Disney's live-action Mulan remake, to use them as the setting for film shoots.

"The design was a natural part of human habitation before it became a 'profession.' Tulou is an ideal example of collective living and urbanization that I want to share with my students," John Lin, associate professor of the Department of Architecture in Hong Kong University, told the Global Times.

Lin, who was born on the island of Taiwan and grewup in the US, has a strong interest in human life and culture, which led him to study art, medicine and architecture. For the past 15 years, he has been working in rural areas in China and has carried out numerous renovative construction of traditional Chinese buildings, including tulou, with his students. 

"My transition from medicine to architecture was really a change of interest from the individual to society. The goal of medicine is to heal the body, whereas the goal of architecture is to create a community," he said.

Natural architecture

"The first time I visited a tulou area was around eight years ago. At that time I was searching for some authentic examples of traditional buildings that were not designed by 'architects,' and I was amazed by the sheer variety and diversity of the types of tulou - each and every one was different. The innovation of rural builders is astounding," Lin said, explaining that what he saw inspired him to wonder how people in the modern age could ensure that buildings reflect the changing lifestyles of a community and how to preserve the amazing diversity of building types found throughout the vast land of China.

He noted that he has witnessed many changes in China's rural areas. For example, many rural migrant workers send money back to their villages to build new buildings that are incredibly generic. The lack of innovation when it came to these buildings made Lin and his students realize that the role of the architect in rural areas might still be an important one.

Although rural areas have undergone many changes, one thing that has not changed is their ability to adapt.  Lin and his students were surprised at the capability of villagers to transform and reuse ancient tulou for various purposes such as libraries, recreational centers or schools.

"I think we collectively realized that tulou have always been evolving and changing during their long history. Many of these areas are rapidly urbanizing and have a need for more public amenities," he said.

After taking the opportunity to work with the government of Longyan, a city in East China's Fujian Province, in 2019, Lin led his students and some workers in renovating two tulou located in the nearby village of Lantian.

The biggest challenge for them during the renovation was finding a way not to simply preserve the ancient tulou but to help them remain relevant and alive.

Lin said that his team was inspired by the adaptations they had seen in other regions. Although many traditional buildings have been abandoned, a handful of villages throughout the entire country are adapting and updating traditional buildings in a modern way.

Often by installing new toilets, kitchens and greenhouses into these centuries-old buildings, these villages are paving the way for sustainable development that enhances existing culture and maintains the uniqueness of rural areas. This is very different from the models seen in many other rural villages which emphasize outside investment and commercial development.

Finding inspiration