Yanxiang Lou
Yanxiang Lou stands in the Xinnan Village,Hukeng Town of the southeastern Yongding County
and is at the infall of Brook Nan and Brook Aoyao.The circular Tulou,built in the 22nd year of
the reign of Emperor Daoguang of Qing Dynasty(1 842),faces the southwest and covers an area of
nearly 4300 square meters.
The 4-storey main building is 40 meters in diameter.circular in shape.of earth-and-wood
structure and with the design of corridors,with the overhanging gable roof and in the combined
column and tie construction and post and lintel construction.The wall is 1.5 meters thick at the
bottom and O.7 meter at the top.Every floor has 34 bays and the first floor is used as kitchens and
dining rooms without any window.The second floor without window is the barn,and the third as
well as fourth floors are used as bedrooms.There are small store rooms in wooden framework under
the eaves of each floor above the second floor.
The back hall of the main building is an opened and roomy hall worshiping the immortal
beings,in front of which there is a small patio.It links with the frontal and side corridors to form
a courtyard.The hall is on the central axis together with the front gate and ancestral hall.The back
hall is accompanied with wing arches made by bricks and linked with the corridors within the main
building.The couplet in the two front-oriented columns reads,"I do not seek a beautiful premise
because of wealth;but would rather see my offspring be good people."
The ancestral hall,which is located at the center of the Tulou,is a single-storey square hall in
brick and wood structure,one-step lower than the back hall.It is with the hip and gable roof and
in the combined column and tie construction and post and lintel construction.The back-oriented
hall is with a back wall in wooden framework.There are two side gates on the back wall leading
to the back hall.The front-oriented side corridors face a patio which is surrounded by the corridors
on the front and at two sides.The floor of the hall is one-step higher than that of the front-oriented
corridors on the three directions.The hall has two small brick-made arches linking with the podium
buildings.The pillars and beams in the halls are engraved and painted with patterns and pictures in
exquisite craftsmanship.The halls look ancient-flavored and elegant.The couplets in the columns
read,respectively,"Doing good brings prosperity;keeping books generates fragrance.""The more
good you do,the more prosperous your family will grow;the more books you read,the more
intelligent your speech will become.""I do not seek a beautiful premise because of wealth;but
would rather see my offspring be good people."The pictures,carved above the arch,fully mirror the
building owner's ideas,pursuit and good intention.
The opened podium buildings flanking the ancestral hall are in brick and wood structure,and
with single storey.It faces the back-oriented patio,covering an area of about 50 square meters.In
the past,it represents one of maj or venues and banquet rooms for holding the celebrations,such as
wedding and funeral.Some single-storey affiliating buildings in brick and wood structure,such as
the bathroom,are located between the podium building and main building.In strict symmetry,the
affiliating buildings are close to the podium building and slightly lower than it.
The main building paved with tabia earth is separated with the ancestral hall by the patio and run
through by the small doors of corridors.
The whole building has four stairways and one front gate.The gate is covered with iron board.
At the top of the gate there is a water hole for fire emergency.The stone
ground extends to the East and is covered with cobblestones.On the lintel of the door,there are
three big letters in bold and vigorous strokes.i.e."Yanxiang Lou".The designs of"Eight dragons"
and"Five bats"are decorated at two sides and two meters above the gate,where are covered with
limes.
A stone wall,which is 1.8 meters high,50 meters long and 0.3 meter wide,surrounds the Tulou.
The cobblestone-built wall links with outer gate in a wandering way,resembling a lying dragon.
The dragon head is the outer gate on the west,which is with the double-eave hip and gable roof,and
the doorframe decorated with one-piece stone strips.On the lintel of the door,there are letters,i.e.
"Dai fu di".The couplets on the two sides of the gate read："Doing good brings prosperity;keeping
books generates fragrance."The wall at two sides of the gate is painted with murals and epigrams.
The Tulou faces to the west,because there was no other good direction for choice when the ancestor
built it.In consequence,it just faces the stream and do not go against the flowing direction of
stream.in addition to the col at the back.For luck.people make efforts to build the enclosing wall
into the existing shape.The outer gate symbolizes the dragon head,having a meaning of exorcising
evil spirits,which fully reflects Fengshui,China's traditional construction and designing concept.
The enclosing wall at two sides and back of the Tulou is built according to the geographical
condition.It is lower in the front and higher in the back.The majority of the wall is built by rammed
earth and the rest is built by stones.A 2一storey entertainment hall and class room on the west and the
back,where the residents sing and play musical instrument,and Longdui room and hogpen on the
Southeast are both of earth and wood structure.The outer wall of the entertainment hall links with
the enclosing wall.
In the place of 1 00 meters away from the back wall lies the rear garden.The garden with
vegetation was the place where the young scholars and warriors living in the Tulou did morning
exercises and read books.The owner also came here for leisure hours.A stone stab path runs along
the stream to lead to the Tulou gate.The stream-side of the path is protected by a stone railing.
From the 1 950s to now,the people of talent have came forth in large numbers from this Tulou
building,such as six university professors,1 8 teachers of middle school,33 teachers of primary
school,two with doctoral degree,1 5 with master degree,76 bachelors and 2 1 students of secondary
specialized sch001.Moreover,there are more than 1,000 overseas members of the same clan.
The Tulou was announced as a historic site under provincial protection in January 200 1.And it
stands intact for the time being.
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