The Watch Towers of Kaiping

Kaiping has become increasingly well known because of its "diaolou", fortified multi-storey towers. They were constructed in the Kaiping area of Guangdong Province from the early Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1912) reaching a peak in the 1920's and 1930's, when there were more than 3,000 of these structures. 

Kaiping has become increasingly well known because of its "diaolou", fortified multi-storey towers.  

They were constructed in the Kaiping area of Guangdong Province from the early Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1912) reaching a peak in the 1920's and 1930's, when there were more than 3,000 of these structures.  

Today, approximately 1,800 "diaolou" are still standing. 

The "diaolou" served two purposes, housing and protection against forays by bandits. 

The Kaiping "diaolou" and villages were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2007.  

Whilst this little known region of China has a number of spectacular buildings, unfortunately not very much seems to have been documented regarding their turbulent history. Much of the appeal of a visit rests with the natural rural scenery.  

The peaceful life that the people who built these amazing structures were looking for, unfortunately never eventuated. Many of the impoverished local people, in their desperate bid for survival, were reduced to banditry and looting.  

The oldest existing “diaolou” is a World Cultural Heritage Site and it stands in Sanmenli Village. It was built during the Ming Dynasty, approximately 460 years ago.

When the 19th century arrived, many of Kaiping’s residents moved to Hong Kong in search of a better life and many others moved to North America. Records indicate that between 1925 and 1938 there were 140,000 Chinese in America, most of whom came from this region of Guangdong Province.  

Many of these individuals returned home with their hard-earned fortunes and built these extraordinary structures.

The unusual appearance of the buildings can be attributed to the melding of traditional Chinese architecture, with both contemporary and ancient Western architectural styles.  

As the wealthy returned to China, others who were desperate to survive, preyed upon them and an increasing number of these fortified buildings appeared.  

Some of the watchtowers functioned purely as fortified structures where the village residents could store their belongings and seek protection in the event of attack by bandits, whilst others were privately owned watchtowers that only protected the inhabitants. These were often lavishly decorated with colonnaded balconies, high above the ground, where the occupants could catch the afternoon breezes. 

In 2007, UNESCO named the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (開平碉樓與村落) in China as a World Heritage Site. UNESCO wrote, "...the Diaolou ... display a complex and flamboyant fusion of Chinese and Western structural and decorative forms. They reflect the significant role of émigré Kaiping people in the development of several countries in South Asia, Australasia, and North America, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the close links between overseas Kaiping and their ancestral homes. The property inscribed here consists of four groups of Diaolou, totaling some 1,800 tower houses in their village settings." 

For itinerary details click here

Contact Graham graham.elsom@jebsenholidays.comfor further information about these or any other travel plans you might be considering.