Chuxi Tulou, a hidden paradise in southern Fujian
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Transportation: 1. From Xiamen to Chuxi Tulou:
No direct bus. Take a bus from Wucun Bus Station to Xiayang at 6:40 for CNY 75, and then transfer at Xiayang.
2. From Longyan to Chuxi Tulou: There are direct buses, two buses a day, from Longyan Central Station (next to the train station) at 10:30 (express bus, CNY 20, 2 hours) and 15:30 (slow bus, CNY 15, 2.5 hours) to Chuxi Lukou Station (actually to the entrance of the scenic area).
If you miss the bus, you can take a bus to Xiayang first, and choose between a CNY 10 (2 hours) and a CNY 15 (1.5 hours) ticket.
3. From Xiayang to Chuxi Tulou: Motorcycle taxi for CNY 20–30, shuttle bus at 7:20, 9:10, 11:40, and 16:54.
Tour route: Cultural Square - Wuxi Bridge - Shengqing Building - Jiqing Building - Yuqing Building - Stone Jump - Viewing Platform
Features:
1. Quiet, few people, beautiful scenery, and low commercialization are the biggest features here.
2. A "Qing" character: All the tulou here have the character "Qing" in their names, which is very consistent.
3. A surname: The original residents in the tulou are all surnamed Xu, which is more consistent.
4. South-facing: Unlike other tulou that face north, all the tulou here face south due to feng shui and terrain, and they all have only one door.
5. No wells: Unlike other tulou, there are no wells in the tulou here, and they all rely on the streams next to the tulou.
6. Shengqing Building: There are people living here. Pay attention to the words at the door, which have a sense of time.
7. Jiqing Building: There are people living here. You can go upstairs for free. There are 72 stairs in total. It used to house 56 families and more than 300 people. Take photos on the second floor.
8. Yuqing Building: There are homestays and inns inside. If you want to stay overnight, you can consider it, but the price is not cheap.
9. Stone Jump: There is water passing through, giving a feeling of the Wizard of Oz.
10. Viewing Platform: There are two, one high and one low. It is recommended to go to the lower one for better photos.
Note:
1. If you drive, you can navigate to the "Viewing Platform - Temporary Parking Lot" of Chuxi Tulou Cluster, which is the Cultural Square, to save CNY 5 for the sightseeing bus. If you walk from the visitor center, it takes about 15 minutes uphill.
2. After passing the visitor center, you will see a stone carving with three "Lu" characters, which is the earliest "Chu" character in Chuxi.
3. In the morning, the viewing platform is mostly backlit, and the light is best in the afternoon.
4. There is only one return bus at 13:51. If you miss it, you can find a way to return to Xiayang and then return.