By Jarek
The Kaiping Diaolou are a unique UNESCO world heritage site about two hours southwest of Guangzhou. The first time we had a chance to visit them, shortly after we arrived in China, we declined. “It’s just some buildings,” I thought. “Now that I’ve seen the pictures online, I bet that’s basically all there is to it, so it’s not worth the long day with a kid.”
By the end of our tour, however, I’d come around. We were more willing to venture afield with the boys even at the expense of naptime, and I’d seen some better pictures that piqued my interest. And the more I learned about the history of the diaolou (literally, “rock cave towers”), the more I wanted to go. I’m still so glad we did!
The idea of the diaolou, some 1,800 of which are still standing, has been around for centuries, but most were built during the 1920s and 1930s. At that time, China was full of bandits and warlords, so many overseas Chinese sent money home to build fortresses for their families. The diaolou are built to withstand assault; with barred gates, iron shutters, and many stories of stone, they are imposing structures. From the roof, watchmen could spot approaching danger and call everyone in to batten down the hatches. Each floor not only housed its own family unit, but could be sealed off from the shared stairwell. And since they were built by successful overseas Chinese, they blend Western and Eastern architecture. They are truly unique.
With that explanation, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. One anecdote, however, deserves mention. When it came time for lunch, the village had no formal restaurants but several families who would open their homes and cook for you. We went with one old grandma who had been following us for a while. She chased her rambunctious grandchildren out of the dining room while they whooped with delight in examining our foreign appearance. A wandered into their living room to watch cartoons with them.
Grandma asked us what we wanted to eat and we mostly guessed at what she offered (Chinese dialects are no joke!). In some cases, though, she made things very clear. She brought in a giant gourd of some kind, which we accepted (it was delicious). Then she brought in a live chicken. “How about this one?”
“…Sure! Looks healthy enough, I suppose.” She took it outside and promptly butchered it. A and his friends were fascinated. Farm fresh!
It was a great day. Having been to many Chinese museums and tourist sites, I’m usually disappointed with the quality of the exhibits or the state of the history being “preserved” (read: sloppily patched up to market to tourists). In every way, however, the Kaiping Diaolou were excellent. We could explore the village, enter the buildings and examine the fortifications. The rooms were decorated with artifacts and historical objects that captured the stories of the people who lived there. Over and over again, I was impressed. Well done, China. Good work, UNESCO!
