The rustic romance beneath the swallowtail ridge

Speaking of Wulin Ancient Village in Jinjiang, it’s basically a “rustic romance” party of Minnan architecture! The red brick ancient houses here exude a bold aura, with their upturned swallowtail ridges seeming to say, “Life, you’ve got to stand tall!” The red brick houses stand in a row like a group of mischievous old kids wearing swallowtail hats, tilting their heads to greet you, “Here? Want some tea?” The mottled moss on the walls is like graffiti of time, inscribed with “This wall has guarded for three hundred years, curing all kinds of anxiety.” Walking through the narrow alleys, stepping on bluestone slabs, with blue sky above and red tiles overhead, every snap feels like a retro-filtered “internet celebrity blockbuster scene”—and of course, it’s free! If we talk about the village’s most imposing “hardcore player,” it has to be the gun tower! This thing is no gentle little building; it’s the “security captain” of the ancient village. When bandits attacked back in the day, the gun tower transformed into a fortress, with dense shooting holes on the walls resembling an angry beehive, dealing with all kinds of defiance. Villagers hid inside, munching on sunflower seeds and firing guns, forcing the enemies to become “outdoor hiking enthusiasts”—take a detour! Although the gun tower has now stepped back, just standing there still exudes a “What are you looking at?” vibe, as if it could pull out a “Village Defense Manual” at any moment. Take a stroll around Wulin, and you’ll understand: the Minnan people’s romance is so strong that even their defensive fortresses are built with the sharp edges of a drama idol’s leading man!