Tujia Construction
Photo 2 : Fenghuang tujia stilted houses or Diaojiolou along the Tuojiang river bank
ago . On the Tuojiang River outside Fenghuang , there are 17 bridges of various sizes , forming a natural gallery from the upstream Fenghuang Bridge to the downstream Yunqiao Bridge .
The most striking feature on both sides of the Tuojiang River are the rows of well-arranged hanging buildings or diaojiaolou , as the Tujia style of construction . These are wooden structures hanging over the river facing the scenic water and the street across the river . These Tujia hanging buildings over river bank are unique to Fenghuang although the normal Tujia buildings are built along hill sides at the mountainous region of Hunan and Guizhou .
Diaojiaolou is a type of building inherited from Tujia people ’ s ancestors . It is a typical architectural form in the Tujia areas in western Hunan and western Hubei . It has a history of more than 4,000 years . Most of the stilted buildings are built on the mountain side , and the main house is built on the ground . Except for one side of the wing that is connected to the ground and the main house , the other three sides are suspended and supported by pillars or stilts . The lower layer is a pig and cattle pen or used to stack debris .
The Tujia stilted building groups which stand on the edge of the Tuojiang River in Fenghuang and with a history of 100 years are one of the most striking and spectacular views in Fenghuang . Most Tujia stilted buildings are near the East Gate Hongqiao and the North Gate Rock Jumping . One end is the river bank , and the other end is above the river surface where the river flows . The wooden pillars support the rows of stilted buildings anchoring them firmly along the river bank . From time to time , the boat canopy passes by , causing layers of ripples towards the stilts , and the reflections in the water also sway around . The quaint Tujia Diaojiaolou is now a unique scenery in the ancient city of Fenghuang . Whether it is shrouded by the mist in the morning or the street
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