A Walking Guide to Qiaoxiang Ancient Buildings: Experience the Stunning Garden from a Century Ago

🏰 European-style Manor Adventure! Check in at the same watchtower featured in "Let the Bullets Fly"—Kaiping’s hidden gem can no longer be kept secret! Top Attraction: Liyuan Garden! A Perfect Blend of Chinese and Western Styles! It’s basically a wealthy heiress’s secluded estate💫 The garden of Liyuan is its soul, perfectly showcasing the fusion of Chinese and Western garden art. It’s not a traditional Chinese classical garden, but rather an idealized "Chinese garden" dream sketched by an overseas emigrant with Western imagination. The garden consists of two parts: the "Small Garden" and the "Large Garden," with a brilliant layout described as "a garden within a garden, a scene within a scene." You’ll see winding canals flowing through, with iconic "Rainbow Bridge" and "Evening Fragrance Pavilion" built over the water. The small bridges, flowing water, corridors, and pavilions complement each other beautifully. However, the most eye-catching feature is the uniquely styled, exotic "Flower Vine Pavilion." This entirely Western-style building is cleverly placed within the Chinese garden, not clashing but rather serving as a highlight, strongly reflecting the owner Mr. Xie Weili’s inclusive aesthetic taste. The entire garden integrates Chinese feng shui concepts and garden ambiance with Western architectural symbols and geometric composition, like a three-dimensional painting, a frozen poem, allowing every visitor strolling through to feel the nostalgia and romantic imagination that crosses the ocean. 📍Address: Genghua Village, Tangkou Town, Kaiping City, Jiangmen, Guangdong Province 🚗 Very convenient for self-driving / 30-minute taxi ride from Kaiping South High-Speed Rail Station 1️⃣ Liyuan Large Garden A 300-acre dream garden! White corridors + Roman fountains instantly transport you to Europe 📸 Must-shoot: Baroque-style swimming pool + century-old crape myrtle corridor 2️⃣ Panli Building Villa Area Filming location for "Let the Bullets Fly"! Six-story watchtower hiding the secret history of a Republic of China tycoon 💡Tips: The third-floor mahjong room still has the original owner’s custom gold leaf mahjong table 3️⃣ Chikan Ancient Town The Venice of Guangdong! 700 meters of arcade streets where every snapshot looks like a Republic-era movie scene 🌉 Hidden gem: A stunning riverside café in the alley behind Situ Meitang’s former residence 🍜 Food Recommendations • Eel Claypot Rice: A must-eat in Kaiping! Old brand in Chikan Ancient Town • Tofu Puffs: Crispy outside, tender inside, the most authentic from the small cart stall at Liyuan’s entrance • Magang Goose: A signature dish of the Qiaoxiang area, perfect with rice noodles ⚠️ Tips to Avoid Pitfalls • Don’t buy souvenirs inside the scenic area! Tangkou Town market is half the price • The light and shadow are best after 4 PM, but watchtower interiors close at 5 PM