Nicely done! While I was there two years ago. I observed that the number of floors in the Diaolou directly related to number of wives the owner had. Each wife has a floor in the building, the main floor and the roof not included.
Very interesting. There was a period before WW2 when warlords and bandits basically ruled China, despite a central government supposedly existed, which was unstable, inept and corrupt. It's especially true in the towns and villages a bit remote from the big city centres. Bandits target the rich houses of businessmen and landlords, often kidnap their kids for ransom, and rob their houses. Oversea Chinese who started as poor migrant labourers but got rich sent money home to build mansions in their villages, some for planned retirement. They told builders to mimic foreign architecture style to show off, but that's a calling card for bandits too. Thus the need to build fortress like building to fight off bandits when necessary with their own security guards. Chinese these days do not know much about history of such periods. You'll be lucky to see any homeless persons or beggars in China anymore. It wasn't the case even a few decades ago.
Welcome to my hometown!
I'll be going back again. I love driving around the countryside out there.
Wow! This video makes my day! Thanks for this one my friend :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
John Deng
Welcome to my hometown!
Great place. Hope they'll find the best way to preserve these houses.
I hope so too
我的家乡广东开平塘口
Nicely done! While I was there two years ago. I observed that the number of floors in the Diaolou directly related to number of wives the owner had. Each wife has a floor in the building, the main floor and the roof not included.
Interesting. I didn’t know that. I hope to spend more time out there and film more of these houses.
That house is my husband grandfather house in china.
really? Wow, small world.
Very interesting. There was a period before WW2 when warlords and bandits basically ruled China, despite a central government supposedly existed, which was unstable, inept and corrupt. It's especially true in the towns and villages a bit remote from the big city centres. Bandits target the rich houses of businessmen and landlords, often kidnap their kids for ransom, and rob their houses. Oversea Chinese who started as poor migrant labourers but got rich sent money home to build mansions in their villages, some for planned retirement. They told builders to mimic foreign architecture style to show off, but that's a calling card for bandits too. Thus the need to build fortress like building to fight off bandits when necessary with their own security guards. Chinese these days do not know much about history of such periods. You'll be lucky to see any homeless persons or beggars in China anymore. It wasn't the case even a few decades ago.
Very cool. I love these extra tidbits of information.
Next stop, Tai Shan台山. Lol
I didn’t get there on this trip.