A Hlai House in Tongzha |
Thanks to Hainan government policies, traditional Hlai (Li) houses have become a rarity in Hainan. This section features shots of a few Hlai houses, just near Tongzha (now known as Wuzhishan), which I managed to visit in October 2003.
Taking the photos was a somewhat hurried affair. I told a Chinese friend that I wanted to see some authentic Hlai housing. He said that there were a few remnants still around Tongzha, and promptly took me there. After taking a few external shots, we rather unceremoniously asked the owner if we could look inside his house. He was most obliging, and the photos below are the result.
I am rather apologetic at putting these photos up. Due to the rather rushed nature of the visit and the fact that three years have passed since the photos were taken, I can't comment very much about the objects and scenes I was privileged to see. Nor am I very clear about the exact layout of the house that we did see. Still, they may be of interest to people, so I am posting them here with a few rudimentary comments.
The photos are arranged according to:
The houses in question could be seen from the road. There were not a large number, as is clear from these photos.
 |
The most attractive and romantic aspect of the houses is no doubt the straw roofs, reminiscent of tropical Southeast Asia. |
||
 |
||
 |
||
| This shot and the next show the earthen walls of the houses. |
 |
 |
Doorways |
 |
 |
I believe these were taken out the back. There are potplants, gourdskins, and what look like vegetable sprouts. A closer shot is just below. |
 |
 |
On to the next page for views of the interior.
