The Last Clan

Streaming video - 2009

They are a model of socialism. Living as a collective and as equals in a family-based commune. They are the Hakka from the mountainous region of South East China. Their home is a fortress-like structure called the Tulou, where as many as five hundred family members share an ancient way of life. “We all live in the same Tulou and we have the same ancestors” says one 82 year old resident of one of the most beautiful of the Tulous called Tianluokeng “But the young ones are all leaving to work outside now.” The Tulou is one of the world’s most unique buildings and life in the countryside can be idyllic. But as China modernizes and its cities expand, life in the Tulou is slowly disintegrating.. As the young move away to find work, only... old family members are left to endure the hardships of rural life. One man chooses to avoid extinction by transforming his massive Tulou into a popular tourist hot spot.”It can be said that I was the first person to develop tourism here, no came before this” says Tulou owner Lin Rigeng ” Now young people are not leaving the village. More than 160 rooms are allocated to the government tourist board.” The trend has grown and the Hakka are quickly flooded with strangers walking among their homes. It is estimated that over three million tourists will visit the Tulous in 2010. The local residents soon realize that tourism is a two-headed monster that brings promises of wealth but threatens to destroy their ancient culture. “We villagers get nothing from this” says an angry local “we do not get a spoon from ticket sales, all the money goes back to the tourist board.” One thing they all agree upon, is that young people are coming back to the Tulou life and more are staying behind selling souvenirs to the visitors. Today the Tulou and the Hakka are in danger of extinction, as society fragments and splits with new found freedom and new found wealth for the new generations of Chinese. This is the remarkable story of a clan’s struggle to survive..

Saved in:
Subjects
Genres
Documentary films
Published
[San Francisco, California, USA] : Empty Mind Films 2009.
2016.
Language
English
Online Access
A Kanopy streaming video
Cover Image
Item Description
In Process Record.
Title from title frames.
Film
Physical Description
1 online resource (streaming video file) (65 minutes): digital, .flv file, sound
Playing Time
01:04:05
Format
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Access
AVAILABLE FOR USE ONLY BY IOWA CITY AND RESIDENTS OF THE CONTRACTING GOVERNMENTS OF JOHNSON COUNTY, UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, HILLS, AND LONE TREE (IA).