Diaolous are villages built by overseas Chinese from Guangdong province combining eastern and western influences to create an interesting sense of architecture, recently recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage. While visiting Kaiping you’ll get to see all sorts of Dialou, but the most posh that I’ve seen were definitely in Li Garden.
Travel China has a bit of background :
Built in 1936, the Liyuan Garden is one of the four most famous gardens of Guangdong Province. Named after its master, Xie Weili, an overseas compatriot, the garden is a notable example of the private gardens constructed by overseas Chinese. Covering an area of 1.1 hectares (2.72 acres), it is situated in Tangkou Town, Kaiping City. The garden is a first-rate garden combining the lingering charms of China and the occident.
This unique garden is a perfect combination of the modernist western architectural style of the period and the traditional landscaping of China. The distinctive characteristics make this elegant garden a pearl among Chinese gardens. A special feature of the garden is the wide and deep canals which string together the architectural features of the garden. Above the canals, there are winding corridors, fine bridges and exquisite pavilions. The layout of the garden can be delimited into the Villa Zone, Grand Garden and Little Garden.
It’s easy to notice the unique style when you see it…
And inside…
The gardens surrounding the Diaolous are also charming…
If you’re doing the Kai Ping Dialou tour, be sure to make this a stop on your itinerary. If you’d like, the UNESCO has a recommended tourist itinerary for you.