The Earth Tower of Hakka is a symbol tourist site in Fuzhou. It has a long history back to 1,000 years ago. It was built by some of the original Hakka that migrated and settled at the sparse Yongding area. The tower was to help to protect themselves against bandits and wild beasts. The towers are tall, multi-storey circular earthen buildings where a whole family or clan could live in.
The round-shaped ones are the most famous. They are divided into three classes of sizes: small, medium and big. Usually the small ones are 2 to 3 stories tall with a single ring and 21 to 28 rooms. The medium ones are 3 to 4 stories tall with a large inner open space, in single or double rings, with 30 to 40 rooms. The big round buildings are 4 to 5 stories tall with three rings and 42 to 58 rooms.
The tower is a 'group-oriented' residence, usually with one main entrance. The formation of the Earth towers show the wisdom and creativity of the ancestors of the Hakkas residents in Yongding County. It is regarded as a miraculous wonder, and fills the gap between Chinese architecture history and the world architecture history.