Travel To Pan-Tibet Regions With Pan-Tibet Travel

Danba Blockhouses

Danba County lies on the southern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. With the upper reaches of the Dadu River flowing through it, the county enjoys a moderate climate and fertile fields. According to archaeologists, human activity in Danba dates back more than 5,000 years. The Sanxingdui people are believed to have inhabited in this area 4,800 years ago.

The ancient Danba blockhouses vary in height and shape. The tallest is more than 60 meters high. They are built in the shape of a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, or a dodecagon. With its solid angles as sharp as blades, the blockhouse stands upright and resembles swords pointing up towards the sky.

These ancient houses are divided, according to their functions, into four categories: fort blockhouses, beacon blockhouses, village blockhouses, and dwelling blockhouses. The dwelling blockhouse is usually about 10 meters high. Its structure is a combination of blockhouse and residential house. When entering the dwelling blockhouse, a several meter high ladder is needed. After entering, the ladder is taken away, so that no enemy, not even a martial arts master, can enter the house.