Tulou Cultural Education Tour

Upon your arrival in Xiamen, the driver will take you to the pre-booked hotel to check in. After a short rest, your journey will begin.

In the afternoon, you will head to the historic Eighth Market. The history of the Eighth Market dates back to the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926), when a vegetable market was first established here. The quaint architecture and bustling streets here interweave to form a vivid picture of the old city. Here, you can experience local life and taste local specialty foods, or visit the Zhushu Chapel (one of the earliest existing Catholic churches in Xiamen) and Xiamen's earliest post office. Later, you will participate in a specially arranged treasure hunt, which will allow you to gain an in-depth understanding of Xiamen's history and culture in a fun way, adding a touch of adventure to this study tour.

Students are Visiting the 8th Market

Your Journey’s Rewards:

By visiting the Eighth Market, you can explore Xiamen's folk life, ancient architecture, and taste specialty foods, enabling you to get a preliminary understanding of the city of Xiamen.

Educational Focus:

What are the architectural characteristics of the Eighth Market?

Takeaway:

Most of the buildings in the Eighth Market are three-story arcade buildings with commercial spaces on the ground floor and residential areas on the upper floors. To this day, most of them still retain their original architectural style and street texture. In addition to arcades, the street-facing buildings in the market also include churches. The architectural complex is well-preserved overall, and the street facades are relatively unified in terms of color, material, and style.

Thought Challenge:

Why can the Eighth Market, as an ordinary local market, become an important part of cultural and educational tours?

Early the next morning, after having breakfast at the hotel, the driver will take you to Nanjing County, where the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster—known as the "Four Dishes and One Soup"—is located. (Surrounded by four circular tulous, one square tulou stands in the center; when viewed from a high vantage point, it truly resembles the traditional side dishes of the Hakka people.) You can enjoy a panoramic view of this unique landscape from the viewing platform. The tour guide will explain the history and architectural features of the tulous, allowing you to experience their distinctive architectural style and long-standing historical background. Later, you will visit the Yuchang Lou, which has a history of over 700 years, and learn why this tulou has remained standing despite hundreds of years of wind and rain.

"Four Dishes and One Soup"

Visiting the Interior of Tulou

In the afternoon, a unique cycling activity will take you through the area between Yuchang Lou, Deyuantang, and Hekeng Tulou. While enjoying the scenery along the way, you will deepen your understanding of the architectural characteristics of the tulou cluster. At Hekeng Tulou, under professional guidance, you will experience handcrafting a tulou model. Using various materials such as cardstock, wood, and plastic, you will create a miniature representation of the tulou—capturing its architectural features, structure, and functions—through manual processes like cutting, assembling, and pasting.

Your Journey’s Rewards:

By visiting the tulou complex and handcrafting a tulou model, you will gain an understanding of the tulou's architectural features, structure, and functions.

Educational Focus:

What functions do tulous have?

Takeaway:

Generally speaking, the walls of tulous are approximately 1.5 meters thick, creating a microclimate inside the building that is cool in summer and warm in winter. Additionally, the thick earthen walls have a certain ability to retain moisture in the air, helping to maintain a stable humidity level inside the building. The design of the large eaves ensures that rainwater is channeled away from the outer walls, providing a certain degree of flood prevention. Tulous also have defensive functions: they have thick walls and high windows; the heavy wooden entrance doors are covered with iron sheets, reinforced with horizontal bars behind them, and equipped with fire prevention water tanks above—making them easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Thought Challenge:

Against the backdrop of modern urbanization, what measures can we take to not only protect the tulou buildings themselves but also inherit the Hakka culture they carry?

After breakfast, you will take part in a meaningful activity—restoring the damaged tulou—and conduct a series of scientific research and exploration on the technology, craftsmanship, materials, and other aspects related to the protection and renovation of this historical building. First, you will conduct a comprehensive and detailed survey of the damage degree of the tulou's structure; if necessary, instrument testing will be adopted. Finally, you will repair the damaged parts. The entire process will be carried out under professional guidance to ensure safe construction.

In the afternoon, you will visit a local school and communicate face-to-face with the children there. Here, you can participate in sports competitions, special classes, or a knowledge lecture, allowing you to deeply feel the power of education and the integration of cultures.

Student Exchange

Student Interaction

Students Attending the Symposium

At night, you will watch a wonderful puppet show and even have the opportunity to manipulate the puppets by yourself, experiencing the charm of this traditional art form. After the show, you will return to the hotel to rest.

Your Journey’s Rewards:

By personally participating in the tulou restoration—a guardianship activity for traditional culture—you will conduct a series of scientific research and exploration on the technology, craftsmanship, materials, and other aspects of the protection and renovation of historical buildings. You will understand the causes of tulou damage and learn building restoration techniques. Additionally, conducting cultural exchanges in the local school helps you perceive the differences between different cultures, acquire rich cultural knowledge, and improve cross-cultural communication skills.

Educational Focus:

What principles should be followed in tulou restoration?

Takeaway:

The restoration of tulou should follow the principle of "restoring the old as the old". Materials that are the same as or similar to those of the original building, such as clay, sandstone, and glutinous rice paste, should be used to ensure that the appearance and structure are consistent with the original building. In terms of craftsmanship, historical materials should be referred to, and modern technology should be integrated to carefully restore every detail. From ramming the wall to repairing the wooden components, the quality is strictly controlled.

Thought Challenge:

Can modern building reinforcement, anti-corrosion, and moisture-proof technologies be applied to tulou restoration?

In the morning, you will embark on a rural hiking trip, traversing rice paddies, forests, and ancient villages while admiring the natural beauty of the tulou countryside. Along the way, you will visit a tulou tea plantation to experience the joy of tea picking. You will also step into the traditional tea-making workshops of local farmers, take part in the tea-making process with your own hands under professional guidance, learn the procedures and techniques of tea making, and gain an in-depth understanding of the life of local tea-picking farmers.

Rural Hiking Trip

Students Picking Tea Leaves

Students Making Tea Leaves

In the afternoon, you will participate in a bamboo weaving craft activity. This activity combines traditional craftsmanship with cultural experience—by making bamboo woven works that are both functional and artistic with your own hands, you can feel the joy of handcrafting and the charm of bamboo weaving techniques. Finally, you can keep the unique artwork you made as a special souvenir of this trip.

Students Learning Bamboo Weaving

A Bird Made of Bamboo Weaving

As night falls, the tulou bonfire party begins. You can gather around the bonfire with local villagers to enjoy food, chat, or dance together, sharing a joyful time.

Your Journey’s Rewards:

Through rural hiking, you can gain a deeper understanding of the customs associated with tulou architecture. Participating in tea picking and tea making allows you to learn the procedures and techniques of tea production. The bamboo weaving craft activity can cultivate your aesthetic ability and creativity.

Educational Focus:

What kind of family culture is reflected in the tulou countryside?

Takeaway:

Tulou perfectly embodies the local family culture of "living in clusters by clan" and "equality and unity". Whether circular or square, all rooms are oriented toward the center. Circular tulou, in particular, vividly reflects the spirit of "concentric circles"—without corners, each household equally enjoys the same orientation, lighting, and view, symbolizing the unity and fairness of the family.

Thought Challenge:

Against the backdrop of modern cultural diversity, what more effective methods can be adopted to integrate the rural culture, handicraft culture, and folk culture around tulou, and promote them on a broader scale?

After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, you can take some time to organize your study notes. Then, pack your luggage and check out. Finally, the driver will take you to the airport, and your study tour will come to an end here.