There are more than 80 earth buildings widely scatted in Zhangzhou. They are world-renowned for their long history, large quantity, majestic scale, peculiar structure and unique styles, and reputed as “mythical construction in a mountainous area”.

Initiated from cantonments, fortresses and mountain fastnesses at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty when Chen Yuanguang first came to this place, they were the outcome of the special social environment from the Tang Dynasty to the late 1940s, when south Fujian was in great chaos both due to foreign invaders and internal faction. The earth buildings are good in terms of ventilation and natural lighting, and warm in winter and cool in summer.

Constructed in 1371, the 4th year of Hongwu's reign in the Ming Dynasty, “Qiyun Building” is the earliest earth building, while the largest is “Zaitian Building” with a diameter of 94.5 meters, resulting in its fame as “super earth building”.