January 22, 2024 by Brooke Schutz

Chinese Tuo La Ji 拖拉机 Engine

Artwork by Miranda Peak

Are you a nerd for historical and unique mechanics?

Are you here to appreciate this rustic farm aesthetic of a photo?

This blog post is for you.

Tuo La Ji means Tractor in simplified Chinese. This photo by Miranda Peak shows something peculiar. It shows an exposed diesel engine mounted to a Chinese Tou La Ji. The engine’s origins are unclear. Similar engines were designed in the 1800’s to mimic a horse pulling a carriage. This Tuo La Ji engine is designed in the literal sense of a horse pulling a carriage. The engine wholly rotates about an axis through a drive unit mounted to the front of the cab. The drive unit moves the entire engine in the direction of movement separate from the cab as if it were a horse pulling a buggy. Imagine rotating the front wheel of a bicycle with the handlebars, and then imagine mounting an engine to the front tire. The engine turns with your handlebars, pulling you along. The drive unit on this photographed Tuo La Ji is controlled by a steering wheel; however, handlebars are also commonly used on these vehicles.

The photographer, Miranda Peak, portrayed this unique engine through a Sepia filter giving you a sense of its historical and timeless origins. The perspective of the photo highlights the engine’s flywheel, pulley, and drive belt. Your eyes start to wander to the smaller parts of the engine to make sense of its unusual façade. Above the pully you can see the alternator. To the left above the flywheel, a fuel tank is visible. The tank has two caps, one for diesel and one for water or coolant. The air intake is slightly visible between the alternator and fuel tank. Interested mechanics may wonder what the other side of the engine looks like. What else do you see that I haven’t mentioned? Did you know this Tuo La Ji engine is crank started? There is a crank start on the other side of this engine.

The traditional Tuo La Ji engine holds historical wonders that span across international borders. Note the background of this photo; the Tuo La Ji is in a rural setting surrounded by vegetation and mountainous landscapes. Terrain won’t slow this vehicle down. The fact that this traditional engine is still currently used in China goes to show how versatile it is.

Whether it be working on farms, hauling dirt, or carrying cargo you can be sure to see a Tou La Ji riding around China as a trusty steed.

This blog post is an art review and interpretation by Brooke Schutz.