Driving a car along the highway through the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang, Guangdong Kaiping paragraph, you will find along the road on both sides often have a number of bunker-style building into your line of sight, which is both varied and rich European-style towers, or 23 as partners in the village next to the leaning , or 45 clusters scattered over the fields. Maybe you wondered how to ask where these towers are coming from?
Kaiping urban and rural areas throughout the towers, their formation and the rise of the geographical environment and Kaiping, then closely linked to the social security situation. Kaiping low-lying, dense network of waterways, often flooding the worry. Together with its jurisdiction of the territory, the former Guangdong Xinhui, Taishan, Enping, emerging at the junction of four counties in remote places, has always had the "four no matter known as" social order has to be very chaotic. End of the Qing, Kaiping spread of "a footprint three thief," saying, when there are more than a dozen local bandit gang. Thief rampant, rich life of the returned overseas Chinese or compatriots have become the main grab objects. In order to Fangzei anti-bandit, overseas Chinese returned to his hometown to build towers have donated a number of overseas Chinese will build towers of residential-style dwellings, towers began to rush out all over in Kaiping.
Towers not only anti-bandit, as well as waterlogging prevention role, Tanjiang major floods in 1884, more places in the vicinity of houses flooded, Kaiping Chikan three years the villagers boarded the towers because of the timely and all survived.
Kaiping towers architecture fully reflects the characteristics of Chinese and western wall, and its most prominent feature is based on their own will select a different architectural style of foreign consolidated with self-contained, both ancient Greek, Roman style, there are Gothic, Islamic, Baroque and Rococo style of architecture elements, it is difficult to specifically classified as a foreign Kaiping Diaolou a period of being some kind of architectural style. These schools of different religions, different styles of architectural elements in harmony towers in Kaiping, showing the unique art of charming. It is in building the structure was fully reflected the defense function, their common characteristic is that narrow windows and doors, steel window, steel doors, walls thick, the top four have a loophole, rooftop observation deck there, searchlights, sirens, guns, etc. in the history of the protection of life and property safety of the villagers has made significant contributions.
Spread around the towers in Kaiping, mainly divided into three categories, one more floor or floor lamp. This floor, generally built in Cuntou or Murao, some built on a small hill, such as "Fang Light House" for the use of vigilante groups and the night watchman, which have guns, searchlights and alarm if it is found immediately bandit thief alarm, Let the villagers to prepare; second public floor. Households by more than 10 joint venture or a few households, which have three to six-story towers, each floor has 2-4 rooms, where bandits thieves, all families can live in public buildings, in order to avoid the looting; third ranking floor. By overseas Chinese-owned construction, for a long time to live.
Kaiping in the time up to a total of more than 3,000 blocks towers, at present the remaining 1,400 seats, rated as the world's largest "towers museum." Shape towers strange things, there are Chinese and western wall, the ancient Roman, Turkish Islamic-style, European style, the sixteenth century, the British, German castles, churches, style, villa-style, garden-style and other buildings, like the ancient Chinese and foreign construction of the most exquisite art Expo. Let us into the Kaiping, into the towers. And understand that lost their homes, once the glory.
Self-Village towers Group
Tong Town self Village surname villages by the three parties formed: Wo On Lane (commonly known as the Plowshares Tsui), co-On Lane (commonly known as Village), and Wing Lane (commonly known as the Wong Nai Ling). Early '50s, the three villages collectively, the "Zili Village", whichever is self-reliance was intended. Is now the village, 63 households, 175 people, overseas Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao compatriots, 248 people, mainly distributed in the United States, Canada, UK, Malaysia, the Philippines, Fiji and Hong Kong, Macao and other countries and regions.
Li village, at the beginning, it was only two houses, surrounded by farmland are after those who are increasingly purchased fields, but also a number of homes are being built. After the Opium War, Europe and the United States national development production needs a large quantity of labor, the recruitment of labor in China, open-eup, many places because of life forced to leave their homeland to seek employment overseas. The village people are also self-start at this time living abroad. After one by one, those who travel outside the congregation. They made money, they have to come back home to buy fields, and later returned abroad, so on ad infinitum. The 20th century, 20 years, the result of rampant banditry, frequent floods and other reasons, a number of overseas Chinese, compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao will spend part of their savings to build towers and Home Cottage. These towers and Home Cottage generally built person's name or the name of their wishes. Big tall towers of the House, mostly for four or five layers. Architectural style, many with foreign architectural features, with colonnade-style, platform type, castle, nor have a mixed style. In order to defense bandits looted, towers are generally equipped with gun nests. Ju Lu's main function is to live and life. Ju Lu village self-mostly three or four layers, Lou body to carry out, doors and windows open, both iron; to Fangzei, ranking Lu's opened a bullet hole above the front and back doors.
The village of existing towers and Home Cottage 15, the most famous stone floor, a number of Ming (1925), Ye Ju Lu (1930) and cloud Magic House (1921).
"Ming Stone House," Lou Zhu Fang Guangren years ago in the United States, "its Changlong" grocery store fortune, becoming the local's richest man, after returning home to spend huge amounts of money built this magnificent mansion, a total of five-story buildings, which form spectacular, Luxury interior furnishings, is the most beautiful village self-1 towers. "Ye Ju Lu," A person is widely established in width, was first working for Hirohito, and then make a fortune also construct a building on a scale second only to the old club. It is said that to build new buildings will be a lot of gold buried in the Qiaqiang in, so that the wall was later split mine twice, because of gold mine cited. We are fortunate to go to the "Cloud Magic House," the fifth generation descendant of the owner's wife Fang Chen Qi Gui, and she took us to see the "Ye Ju Lu" That was lightning-off doorway.
Self-Ju Lu Village towers and base building beautiful, well preserved, the layout of harmony, patchwork, boundless expanse of the surrounding farmland, Daoxiang blowing and marching field trails through the tall bamboo trees straight into the village, Dunsheng paradise feeling.
Unlimited scenery "Swiss Stone House"
Known as "Kaiping first floor" of the Swiss stone building, located in Kaiping City, Town, Jinjiang Village xiangang the left post. Nine-storey, covers an area of 92 square meters, which was built in 1923, is the highest towers in Kaiping. One car from the highway passes through, far away you can see it in the bamboo forest background stands tall and majestic backdrop.
It is a "Kaiping first" is not only a high degree on the first appearance is also difficult to match other towers. The top floor there are three layers Pavilion, highlights the unique architectural style of the West, of which four weeks of the Roman and Byzantine dome roof top dome shape is most significant, gives a sense of beauty different from the norm. Body building is floor, feet on each floor has different lines and columns decorated to increase the effect of the building facade. Five-story at the top of the imitation Roman arch and column care chic corner towers is different from other common Juancao care foot, step by step up the Ministry of natural transition, very aesthetic visual effect. Six-column style with Ionic columns and the arch of the colonnade formed. Seven is a platform to build a dome top corner corner kiosks, north and south sides of the mountain flowers can be seen baroque patterns. Eight-story platform, there is a Western-style tower pavilion. Nine-small pavilion, top of the dome, the Roman-style thick. House Name plaque on the seven upper middle position, there are "Swiss stone floor," three bold Juanxiu the characters. From the appearance of the overall structure, the Swiss stone floor well-proportioned, dignified and magnificent, the wall of French blue to it adding to the somewhat romantic atmosphere. Building is a good combination of Chinese and Western architectural styles typical.
Swiss stone building was built people Huangbi show, Rui No. stone. He and his son Huang Chang-Lan (eldest son), Mr Wong Chi-Lan (second son) with operations in Hong Kong herbal shop and a banking house, successful career. The early 20th century, social order is not good, banditry. 59-year-old Huang Bi then show their parents to live at home with his wife, to his family's safety, so he put more than 30,000 Hong Kong dollars at the huge amounts of money, at home in 1923 to build towers, completed in 1925 and lasted for 3 years. House Upon completion, he called his own number, called "Swiss stone floor." Order to guard against bandits, buildings equipped with firearms, bronze bell, searchlight.
Building is designed by Louzhuhuangbi Hideyuki nephew Huang Zi Nan. Huang Bi-hsiu's descendants once lived in the Swiss stone floor, and later to earn a living by going abroad or to cities to work before being moved out. Huang Chang-Lan Huang Xiang's son, a teacher, this year 80-year-old body is still God Qing Jian.
Swiss stone floor is a large number of towers in Kaiping city's best preserved an original towers, rated as the most towers in Kaiping.
In return we have the honor and will soon reluctantly left the towers, leaving open normal times, saw the sun sets in the distance a small hill stands a light building, that is, "Fang Light House", which like a mighty champion of stands in the hills north of Tangkou dike. It was built in 1920, rural villagers and abroad for the old house built by Chinese fund-raising. The 5-storey, layer top for the colonnade structure, surrounded by cantilevered at the top is a pavilion, like a round pot lid down. The main purpose of the construction of the defensive towers around the bandits. Sunset, but you walk around the field in its trail a distance, "Fang Light House", this wheat field in the watch towers like those who, in telling the once glorious past. . "
It is the kind of dark towers in Kaiping Han Chinese traditional culture and heritage, while Europe and the United States with a rich cultural atmosphere, is reflected in a particular geographic specific times and foreign multi-cultural blend, the coexistence of the unique historical and cultural landscapes, known as stunning architectural art gallery. In June 2001, Kaiping towers by the State Council published a national key cultural relics protection units. State Postal Bureau, also in April 2002 issued a set of "Kaiping Diaolou" special postage postcards. Recently, the Kaiping towers has been officially declared world cultural heritage, to become the cultural heritage of Guangdong to the world's first sprint of a cultural landscape. Let us close to this town, to the depth of experience it has brought us endless charm bar!
Author: kk6677
