Kaiping

Kaiping County in Guangdong province has many diaolous mainly built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Dialous are watchtowers that were used for protection against roving bandits. Thousands of people from Kaiping travelled to and lived in other countries and bringing back with them ideas about western building styles, and then melded these with local architectural styles, both as dialous and residences. See UNESCO site and this detailed article

This post show examples of the villages, diaolous, and residences in this part of China.

Jinjianli

I like the complex outline of this building which is so different from traditional Chinese architecture.

Li Garden

This magnificent set of buildings and garden was built in in 1936 by Mr. Xie Weili, a Chinese emigrant to the United States.

Zili Village

A village set in rice fields - very picturesque 

Liang's Garden, Foshan, Quangdong Province, China

This was built by the Liang family built in the first half of the 19th century and is a good example of landscaping and gardens in southern China. At the time It would have been a marvellous place to grow up.

High Rise Living

High rise developments at Tin Shui Wai in the New Territories, Hong Kong, taken from the Tang Clan Gallery, Ping Shan Heritage Trail.

The Tang clan moved to this area of China in the early part of the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960-1127). They have lived here ever since. At that time it was a beautiful valley with rivers flowing through it, surrounded by mountains - somewhat different now.

Looking at this scene I wondered about the people that live in these buildings - their beginnings, their families, their hopes and dreams, the dramas and moments of celebration in their lives, and their deaths.

At regular intervals trains go by. Where are the travellers going to, coming from - what are they thinking, feeling, reading?

How many stories can be told and are untold?

Baomo Garden, Zili Village, Guangdong Province, China

Baomo Garden has a diverse range of sculptures, stone and wood carvings, water features, bridges, extensive gardens and architecture in the style of south China gardens. It was originally built as part of a temple in praise of Lord Bao Zheng, a government official during the Song Dynasty. He is remembered as a symbol of justice and supporter of peasants’ rights.

Biliang Village, Forshan, Quangdong Province China

This village has a long history going back to its construction in the Song Dynasty. Besides being an important market town it is famous for its academics who passed the imperial examinations.
\Features include the Gold Building (second photograph), ponds, the garden, wood and wall carvings, paintings, furniture, glass inlays and a private school. All are in an excellent state of preservation.
The photographs mainly focus on the challenge of achieving a balance between light and shade while revealing texture and form.

Daqitou Village, Quangdong Province, China

This is a preserved village with origins in the Ming dynasty but took its current form in the Qing Dynasty in the Cantonese style of southern China. Part is preserved as cultural heritage and part is a lived-in working village. Embodied in the village and house design is scholarship and education represented as writing brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper. The height of the granite section of the wall of the house indicates the owner’s status, as does the decorations at the top of the wall.

As well as being pictorial, the photographs explore the intersection of texture, shape, form, light and shadow.

Daqitou - Ancient village

House decorations indicating status