Kaiping Diaolou and Villages

Li Garden (立园): A stunning private garden blending traditional Chinese canal layouts with Western villa architecture.

Ma-Xianglong Village Cluster: Known as the "most beautiful village," situated among bamboo forests.

Ruishi Diaolou: The tallest and most ornate Diaolou, often called the "First Tower of Kaiping."

The Kaiping Diaolou are multi-story defensive village houses in Guangdong Province, which display a complex and confident fusion between Chinese and Western structural and decorative forms. Built mainly by returning overseas Chinese (Huaqiao) in the early 20th century, these buildings served both as housing and as temporary refuges against local bandits.

kaiping-diaolou-and-villages