Defensive VillageHouses in South China
Kaiping Diaolou is a special and unique architectural style of Chinese countryside dwellings. It is famous for the rare and complex fusion of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The Diaolou is also an important historic and cultural site as it shows China’s embrace of foreign culture in a transitional period.
On June 28, 2007, Kaiping Diaolou was inscribed into the world cultural heritage list.
DIAOLOU is a fortified residential dwelling. It functions both as a house and a fortress. The city of Kaiping in Guangdong Province is dotted with all kinds of magnificent
Diaolous. As they display a mixture of Chinese and Western architectural styles, they have therefore become a special kind of architecture in rural China.
The rise of the Diaolou is closely linked with specific social conditions. In the late Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644), as a result of rampant bandits in Kaiping, much social unrest ensued. Besides, frequent typhoons and heavy rainfall led to frequent flooding. To fight against these calamities, the locals began to build lofty Diaolous. In the late Qing Dynasty (16441911), those who had migrated overseas to earn a living came back with much wealth, which attracted the attention of local bandits. In order to stay safe, they chose to build fortified Diaolous as homes. Later, during the Republic of China (1912-1949), the number of Diaolous in Kaiping expanded to as many as 3,000. Today, there are 1,800 left. The other kind of watch tower was usually built at the entrance of a village where men stood on guard in turn. They also set up surveillance day and night to protect villagers. Residential towers were a relatively new type built by individual rich families and used as fortified residences. In the early years of the Republic of China period, wealthy local families were particular about the living environment of the Diaolou. They wanted it to be not only defensive but also functional in daily life, as a result of which kitchens, bathrooms, and studies were added.
The Kaiping Diaolou can be classified into three kinds: watch towers, communal towers, and residential towers.
Residential towers were mostly funded by the owners solely. They stand tall and spacious, have different shapes, and are equipped with exquisite decorations, a reflection of the owner’s tastes. These specialties make this kind of tower the most artistic kind of all Diaolous.
The tall Diaolou and low village houses form a skyline full of variety. Besides, with the continuous integration of Western architectural styles, the aesthetic taste of Kaiping residents has also changed accordingly, and the overall shape of the Diaolou has gradually changed from simple to complicated, resulting in a unique hybrid fusion of Chinese and Western styles.
This style is best embodied in the components of the upper part of the building. At the request of the owners of the building, craftsmen brought together the architectural elements of colonnades, arches, vaults, arcades, and elements of castles in ancient Greek, Roman, and Islamic styles, allowing the towers to retain their native characteristics while displaying different foreign styles and radiating a unique artistic charm.
Intricately detailed decorations are also something valued on those building elements. Ash carving is normally used. This craft uses a mortar made from shells as the main material, and looks uniquely impressive, which now has become an intangible cultural heritage of China. The motifs of the minute adornments include auspicious Chinese words and animal patterns, and also Western flowers, plants, and geometrical patterns.
In the center of a Diaolou, there always hangs a horizontally inscribed plaque with the name of the Diaolou on it. The name often contains good wishes of the owner. Above the plaque is a common architectural component in Western architecture, pediment, which reflects the owner’s embrace of Western aesthetics and open-mindedness.
The Diaolou, with its strong classical European style, is quite a treat for the eyes in the countryside of Kaiping. It was the different living spaces and aesthetics of overseas Chinese that enabled the harmonious integration of Western architectural styles, thus creating the various shapes of Kaiping Diaolou. These Diaolous bear witness to the political, economic, and cultural development of Kaiping, a living museum of modern architecture and a unique art gallery. C