The Tulou were, it is said, spotted by U.S. satellites and mistaken for missile silos or nuclear devices because of their shape. True or not, the tale helped draw tourists from all over the world in the early 1980s.

"I was surprised and perplexed to see people trek through mountains and scrutinize my house inside out," recalled Lin, who owns one quarter of Zhenchenglou. It was only in 1991 that roads were paved to the grand edifice in Yongding County.

Any visit to West Fujian must include the Hakka (“Guest People”) earthen castles, which fascinate foreign and Chinese tourists, international architects, and even the Pentagon (Reagan and the CIA thought their spy satellites had revealed hundreds of missile silos).
I asked a Hakka if his satellite dish was for missiles. “No, no!” he said. “Television! Basketball!”
“ "Just joking!” I said, but that joke bombed.