Photo story: Chinese rural dwellings

SHANGHAI, China — Imagine if Smurfs built forts in rural China. That's what comes to mind when you first see the Hakka Tulou homes in Fujian province.

In 2008, UNESCO granted these "apartments" World Heritage Status. UNESCO cited the communal buildings as exceptional examples of tradition and function.

Photographer Ryan Pyle traveled to Yongding county to document these unique rural Chinese dwellings, some of which house  up to 80 families and have gun holes for defense against bandits.

Here's what he found.

An elderly man looks over the roof of a nearby traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, well known as the Hakka Tulou region, in Fujian, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

Traditional Hakka Tulou homes in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

An elderly woman walks across the inner courtyard in a traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

An elderly woman opens the lock to her apartment in a traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

Looking down on traditional Hakka Tulou homes in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

A woman carries baskets full of goods across a river near a cluster of traditional Hakka Tulou homes in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

A woman tends to her farm near a cluster of traditional Hakka Tulou homes in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

Looking down on a cluster of traditional Hakka Tulou homes in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

Traditional Hakka Tulou homes in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

Looking down from the second floor inside a traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

A woman hang dries her clothes from the top floor of her traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

Red lanterns fill the inner courtyard of a traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

Baskets and a hat hand on the wall inside a traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

The interior of a traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

An elderly man sits on a bench in his traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

A small temple sits in the inner courtyard of a traditional Hakka Tulou home in the county of Yongding, China. (Ryan Pyle/GlobalPost)

About the photographer:

Born in Toronto, Ryan Pyle spent his early years close to home. After obtaining a degree in International Politics from the University of Toronto, Ryan realized a lifelong dream and traveled to China. In 2002 Ryan moved to China permanently and began taking freelance assignments in 2003. In 2004, Ryan became a regular contributor to The New York Times covering China, where he documented issues such as rural health care, illegal land seizures, bird flu and environmental degradation. More recently he has branched out to mostly magazine work, expanding his portfolio to include the Sunday Times Magazine, Der Spiegel, Fortune, TIME, Outside, Forbes and Newsweek. Ryan Pyle is based full time in Shanghai, China.