Qiang People
The Qiang people (approximately 310,000) inhabit the mountainous Sichuan region of China, living in one of the world's most seismically active zones. They build distinctive stone watchtowers and fortified villages designed to withstand earthquakes, some structures reaching 30-60 meters high and surviving for over 1,000 years. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake devastated many Qiang communities, yet their earthquake-resistant architecture and resilient culture continue to adapt to living on unstable ground at altitudes of 1,500-3,000 meters.