[2024 Kaiping Attraction] Travel Guide for Liyuan (Updated Nov)

There is such a place, in the depths of a vast farmland and green bamboo forest, a truss-like tower suddenly stands in the middle of it, in the sunset, silently telling stories about prosperity, vicissitudes and struggles. This place is Kaiping. Although the ancient buildings here are particularly broken, there are wonderful and unpredictable charms that are faintly presented. They prove the lifestyle of the overseas Chinese and form a place full of exotic pastoral customs. The idyllic nature. The landscape, combined with the exquisite craftsmanship of man-made architecture, attracts more and more people to find all kinds of imaginations. Liyuan is a private garden. It was built ten years by Mr. Xie Weili, a Chinese-American overseas Chinese. It was initially built in the 25th year of the Republic of China (1936).

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

Visited Liyuan on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, taking advantage of the off-peak hours

After coming out from Jinjiang Li, I went to have some eel rice first, and it was already three o'clock in the afternoon when I entered Liyuan. The parking lot didn't seem very crowded, so I figured there wouldn't be too many people inside the garden either. 🌟 Highlights: Liyuan is located in Genghua Village, Tangkou Town, Kaiping City, Jiangmen. It is a private garden of Xie Weili, an overseas Chinese from Tangkou Town who lived in America. The name 'Liyuan' implies the idea of 'establishing trees and cultivating people.' Construction of Kaiping Liyuan began in 1926 and was preliminarily completed in 1936. Covering an area of about 19,600 square meters, it combines traditional gardening, Western architecture, and the characteristics of Jiangnan water towns. Its unique architectural style stands out in Chinese gardens, making it one of the more complete gardens in China that integrates Chinese and Western elements. 👍 Most recommended: Liyuan is indeed impressive! It's quite large, with a reasonable layout of residences, gardens, and water systems. The two villas named 'Panli' and 'Panwen' are the most magnificent and spectacular. Their rooftops are built in the ancient Chinese 'double-eave' style, covered with green glazed tiles, cleverly creating a practical insulation layer. The interior floors and stairs are paved with colorful Italian stone, which, after many years, still shine brilliantly and are breathtaking. Plus, the love story of Mr. Xie Weili and his four wives is indeed worth the visit. ⏳ Recommended visiting time: 2 hours 💰 Average cost per person: Adult ticket is 100 yuan, and there is also the option of a combo ticket. 📝 Tips: You can enter the 'Panli' and 'Panwen' villas, although they are exquisite, the stairs are quite steep, and the practicality of the buildings is slightly inferior to that of the Ming Stone Building. 🚉 Transportation strategy: We drove there, which was quite convenient. Small cars are not limited by time, 10 yuan. There is a shuttle bus between the scenic spots🚌, which I saw during the Spring Festival, but I'm not sure if it's available normally.

Guangzhou high-speed train takes 1 hour, and we went to Chikan Ancient Town, which we still want to visit.

/ I discovered another treasure place for Spring Festival travel! Just around Guangzhou, the high-speed train can reach you directly in 1 hour This ancient town with a history of more than 370 years is really low-key! More than 600 arcades are full of rich style of the Republic of China🍃 If you don’t know where to go during the Spring Festival~ Come here to experience the strong New Year flavor unique to Guangdong🧨~ / Look at the intangible cultural heritage flower cards and Year of the Dragon lanterns🏮 God of Wealth Parade, Giant Spring Festival Couplets, 🐲Year of the Dragon Dangdang Cars A ceremonial long banquet for thousands of people It’s really half city fireworks and half city tide, full of Lingnan New Year flavor 🔥Two days and one night itinerary: D1: Guangzhou South → Kaiping South → Chikan Overseas Chinese Ancient Town → Stay at Meitang Hotel → Peace Square → Take a rowing boat → Nanyuan Restaurant → Rongan Building to celebrate spring → Check in the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage flower card → Xianglong Banquet → Chizi Square D2: Morning tea guests → Take the Year of the Dragon Dangdang Car → Dixi Road → Didong Road → God of Wealth Parade → Liyuan Garden ． 🔶Roading boat: The boat has passed Wanjianlou, and the oars of the rowing boat are squeaking across the river through the bridge, and you can immerse yourself in the ancient town's style and simplicity. 🔶Dragon car: Exclusive for the Year of the Dragon, take a car tour around the ancient town, see blessings and encounter joy along the way, and feel full of New Year atmosphere 🔶Dixi Road, Didong Road: During the day, you can go shopping and visit arcades, and at night, you must come here to check out the "100-meter dragon lantern"! 🔶Hong Kong intangible cultural heritage flower cards: Hong Kong's long-standing decorative paper tie exudes a strong traditional atmosphere. It is a check-in spot not to be missed. Be sure to take a photo~ 🔶100-meter dragon lantern: As night falls, the lights turn on. The 100-meter long lanterns that are turned on at night are really shocking, exquisite and imposing, and the film production rate is very high ~ it has hit pyq! 🔶New Year activities Year of the Dragon Lantern Festival, Lion Dance, Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance, Chikan God of Wealth... the traditional New Year flavor has been carefully grasped. 🔶Liyuan: Liyuan was the first manor in Kaiping a hundred years ago. It was the private garden of wealthy overseas Chinese businessmen during the Republic of China. It is worth a visit. / ✅Accommodation recommendations: There are many hotels in the scenic area. I stayed at the Meitang Hotel🏨Republic of China style design, black and white main colors, retro tiles, bamboo and rattan chairs, retro telephones... intertwining old memories of Chikan with Western romance ✅Food recommendations: 🔻Xianglong Banquet A must-have for Lao Guang during the Chinese New Year ~ Cantonese Poon Choi, not only has a rich variety of dishes, but also has perfect taste and meaning💯 🔻Morning tea guest Go early in the morning to experience Guangfu's unique morning tea culture, shrimp dumplings, siomai, porridge noodles, etc. You can also check in the New Year's calendar and open a new chapter of the Spring Festival.

The gem in the Diaolou

The Diaolou in Kaiping, Jiangmen, Guangdong are very famous and each has its own characteristics. For example, the Diaolou in Liyuan can be said to be the gem among the Diaolou. This set of buildings was built by overseas Chinese who returned to the country in the early last century, and there was already a concept of overall planning, so the Diaolou group and gardens here belong to a whole. The buildings in Liyuan are relatively well preserved and have great ornamental value. You must visit here when you come to Jiangmen.

Liyuan is an independent garden. It is a villa garden built by Mr. Xie Weili, a Chinese-American overseas Chinese. It is a garden that has been built for ten years. In my impression, such a large garden should be appreciated by the emperor, but here... its built by people themselves. ... rich. Liyuan Garden is divided into three parts: large garden, small garden and villa area. They are separated by artificial river or wall, and are connected by bridge pavilion and cloister. There is a garden in the garden and there is a scene in the scenery. There are six villas and a tower in the villa area, including the Chinese and Western buildings. The interior and decoration are rich in luxury and elegance. Relying on the Grand View Garden depicted in "Dream of Red Mansions", it is an eclectic mix of classical architecture of Chinese gardens, and integrates the architectural features of villas in Europe and America at that time, achieving the combination of Chinese and Western cultures, and thus has the reputation of "small view garden". The place to enter the gate is the Kaiping Diaolou Group Museum. In this museum, we can see the history of almost all the towers in Kaiping and the history of the formation of the park. It is still worth seeing. Going forward, there is a micro-carved landscape of the tower. It is very architectural. It has a mottled effect when it is placed outdoors for a long time. A small iron window is very cute. Look carefully at the door. The stairs and the stairs inside are all made, its awesome! Go further and enter the villa area. There are six villas in the villa area.