Kaiping Diaolou 2-day tour
1 cities |
6 attraction(s) |
total distance 29
km
TIPS
Day1
Day2
Day1: Jiangmen
3 attraction(s) ·
13 km
1
Liyuan, built by Mr. Xie Weili, a Chinese overseas in the United States in 1936, combines Chinese garden style with Western charm. Its main feature is deliberately excavated wide canals that connect the villa area, large garden area, and small garden area. The canals are embellished with long corridors, small bridges, pavilions, and buildings. The villa area of Liyuan includes six villas and a watchtower, with "Panli" and "Panwen" being the most spectacular. The bronze statue of the owner, Xie Weili, is standing in front of "Panli". The garden preserves large-scale colorful murals, gilt wood carvings, ash carvings, ceramic sculptures by folk artists of the late Qing Dynasty, as well as sanitary ware and water supply systems exported from the United States at the time. The garden's buildings include Liyuan Archway, Xiu Shen Li Ben Archway, and four bridge pavilions named Wanxiang, Wanshui, Guanlan, and Yicui. There are also Roman-style bird nest and flower vine pavilion, which are exquisite and unique in design.
5
km
2
Zili Village Diaolou Cluster is the most concentrated in Kaiping Diaolou. It was built in the 17th year of the Qing Dynasty (1837) and consists of three natural villages: Anhe Village, He'an Village, and Yong'an Village. The diaolou in the village were mostly built in the 20th century by local overseas Chinese to protect their families and properties. They have different styles and exquisite designs. Zili Village has a beautiful environment with ponds, lotus ponds, rice fields, and grasslands scattered throughout. It presents an interesting contrast with numerous Western-style castles-like diaolou and residential buildings. Zili Village has 9 diaolou and 6 residential buildings, but currently only Mingshi Lou and Yunhuan Lou are open to visitors, while the gates of the other diaolou are tightly closed with a big lock, blocking all prying eyes. The rapeseed flowers bloom in Zili Village from March to April, and the peach blossoms bloom from April to May, making the village exceptionally beautiful during this time.
9
km
3
Chikan Ancient Town has a history of 350 years and was once one of the most prosperous central towns in the western part of Guangdong Province, known as a famous town in Lingnan, a century-old commercial port, and a hometown of overseas Chinese. The Tantan River runs through the ancient town, with numerous commercial arcade buildings built in the 20th century, creating a unique charm with its weathered cobblestone streets, intricate window decorations, and exquisite gray sculptures. Many overseas Chinese have emerged from the ancient town, and they are now mainly distributed in the United States, Canada, and Southeast Asia. The current attractions in the ancient town include Sanmenli Village, Yinglong Tower, Canada Village, Film and Television City, European-style street, Situ Clan, Guan Clan Library, and Situ Meitang's former residence.
Day2: Jiangmen
3 attraction(s) ·
16 km
1
Chikan Film and Television City is a filming location for many well-known TV and film works. The main buildings include the Chen Family Mansion, representing the westernized comprador culture, the grand mansion of feudal landlords, and the residential house of the lower-middle class Zhou family. It also features the police station and underground party activity sites of that time. The construction of the city is in line with the architectural style of the 1920s. The film and television city cleverly integrates with the famous arcade-style ancient architectural complex in the east, enriching the architectural culture and historical connotations of the "European Style Street" and making Chikan Ancient City even more charming.
1
km
2
Jinghui Building is located on the famous European-style street in Chikan Town. It is a famous Lingnan Water Village arcade named after the famous doctor Zhang Jinghui in the Republic of China period. It is also the only place to visit and understand the 100 years of history of Chikan Ancient Town. It is a typical Lingnan ancient arcade residence. The building is full of a sense of vicissitudes and historical weight. When you enter the former residence, you will feel as if you have traveled back to the old days.
16
km
3
The Jingjiang Diaolou Cluster in Jinjiang Village consists of three most attractive diaolous, namely Shengfeng Lou, Jinjiang Lou, and Ruishi Lou, also known as "the first diaolou in Kaiping." Ruishi Lou was built around 1923 and is 9 stories high and 25 meters tall, making it the tallest diaolou in Kaiping. It is an exemplary diaolou that is both livable and defendable. Ruishi Lou embodies the pinnacle of Kaiping's diaolou architectural craftsmanship, with meticulous attention given to both the overall design and interior details. The interior decoration follows the Lingnan architectural style and is furnished with top-grade materials of the time, such as acid branch wood, thanks to the strong financial resources of overseas Chinese in Kaiping. Despite enduring more than a century of humid and hot climate in Lingnan, it remains well-preserved and has rarely undergone repairs, making it a rare architectural heritage.
