Swallow Tails Roof in Fujian

Every where we went in search of the Heng Huya Pioneers' original home villages we saw 

remnants of old houses built in the 1880;s.

I was in awe of Qing Dynasty architectural designs as I have been watching many

 Chinese TV dramas.

The Swallow tail roofs were very intriguing.

 The swallow tails stick out on both ends of the roof. Some roofs have five parts and hence 

they have five pairs of swallow tails like in my photo below. Huge mansions would have many roofs.

 Some huge mansions cover more than 2 acres of land e.g. the size of a football field. Some could 

have been bigger.

I am sure many people would find these roofs interesting. However some would think that

 they should be demolished to make way for modern designs. While others couldn't care less.

 I would  think that if there are such structures around they should by all means be preserved to 

remind us of the past historical achievements of our ancestors. Very often "Hallmarks of excellence" 

have been thrown out politically but others are thrown out because of the significant land value..

they could be in the way of MASS TRANSPORT SYSTEM!! or the family themselves might

 want to have a multi storeyed building up ...


A restored old house which still serves a good purpose like symbolizing the dignity of a nation. 

Preservation of old artifacts is part of one's love for our nation. Today in many parts of 

China people use the term "Ai Kuo" love our nation as a key term to propel development

 to a very high level. Landscaping and making the country side attractive with greens is also

 "ai kuo". Environmental movement is also "ai kuo".


I found a Taiwanese blogger Della Chung so inspired by the swallow tail roof (Lots in Taiwan)that 

she wrote a poem:

Green with the drip of dew and rain, 

the moss address itself like art on the roof

with curved swallow tail ridge ends.


飽含露水和雨滴的苔蘚,

綠茸茸地將自己襯脫得

像是燕尾脊屋頂上的一件藝術品。