The Years of Diaolou, Li Garden

Before coming here, most of the online guides highly recommended Li Garden for its splendor, nobility, and beauty. It stands out from other diaolou and is said that visiting just Li Garden is enough when coming to Kaiping Diaolou. Visiting only Li Garden once became my travel goal. 👀 Among the four ticketed scenic spots of Kaiping Diaolou, the other three are natural villages, while only Li Garden is a self-contained garden. The Xie family, after three generations of hard work abroad, returned home as the richest family in Kaiping and built this first garden of Kaiping, blending Chinese and Western styles. Here, there are not only diaolou villas but also garden layouts, water town scenery, self-developed artificial canals, and walls that separate the villa area from the large and small gardens. There are archways, bridges, pavilions, corridors, and scenic spots at every step. The independent water supply system and modern sanitary facilities, with villas equipped with flush toilets and bathtubs, indeed set Li Garden apart from other diaolou. However, this is just a manor of the Xie family, telling only the story of their own heritage. As a cultural heritage, it requires a multi-layered and multi-dimensional perspective to seek common ground while reserving differences. Thousands of diaolou on this land interpret the historical origins of the overseas Chinese culture, a grand view of the fusion of various exotic architectural styles such as ancient Roman, ancient Greek, and Islamic, showcasing a splendid diversity. Residential buildings can also portray the epitome of an era. Although Li Garden is good, just seeing this one is far from enough. 👀 I entered Li Garden at dusk. Although the staff urged that the diaolou was closing and we couldn't enter for an internal visit, the gray-blue windows on the milky yellow exterior walls were closing one by one. But at this time, the sunlight was the gentlest of the day, with light yellow and hazy blue, and dark green. The Chinese dougong and flying eaves with Roman columns presented a unique elegance and noble beauty that blended Chinese and Western styles. The fiery red bougainvillea was in full bloom, with Li Garden's exclusive labels on the flower pots. A glance back revealed a quiet place with small bridges and flowing water, the water town scenery remained the same, only missing the sound of women washing clothes by the river and the hustle and bustle of household life. There were very few tourists. A father with an eight or nine-year-old girl was entering and exiting the diaolou one by one, patiently explaining and listening attentively. This father-daughter affection was precious. Even though this was the home of the richest family in Kaiping, with the first wife having six sons and three daughters, and three wives giving birth to five sons and five daughters, with a large family and many descendants, I wonder if there was ever a moment of such unique fatherly love? Or perhaps, it was just the construction of the 'Yunmei' residences in a row, indicating equal treatment for each son. 👀 I didn't walk through every corner of the garden, nor did I see every pavilion and building, nor did I enjoy the leisure of setting off in a small boat to drink tea. Leaving at closing time, the father and daughter were still at the entrance. The father wanted to take another look nearby, but the daughter didn't want to go. One was calling, the other was hesitating, back and forth, just like the growth of life, always with a sense of familial attachment and separation. The descendants of the Xie family, far away from their homeland, looking back at their old home, would probably have the same mindset. 💡 The four scenic spots joint ticket for diaolou is 180, valid for two days. Visiting only Zili Village and Li Garden is worth the price, making this ticket cost-effective. 💡 Although the evening sunlight is beautiful, it's backlit for shooting Panwenlou and Panlilou. Morning should be better. 💡 On the way from Zili Village to Li Garden, you can see many diaolou in the villages along the roadside. 💡 There are no dining facilities in the park, it's convenient to eat in Tangkou Town. 2024.8