Most of the earth buildings are either circular or quadrangular. Many of them are a few hundred years old. the circular ones have a very special flavour. Those built in ancient times all consist of inside buildings enclosed by huge peripheral ones. Such a combined building holds hundreds of rooms and dwellers. With all the halls, storehouses, wells and bedrooms inside, the huge tower- like building is almost a small fortified city. it is well lighted, well ventilated, windproof, quakeproof, warm in winter and cool in summer. Structurally, it incorporates the merits of different dwelling houses. In these buildings one can also find cultural treasures, such as sculpture, mural paintings, antithetical couplets and work of calligraphy.

The peculiar earth buildings and the beautiful scenery have attracted scholars and tourists from home and abroad. A worldwide interest in the "earth building tour" has emerged.