Maxianglong Diaolou Cluster

The Maxianglong Diaolou Cluster is located in Maxianglong Village, southeast of Baihe Town, about 15 kilometers from Kaiping in the northeast, and backs against the magnificent Baizu Mountain while facing the Tanjiang River. It is a scenic area indeed! A Diaolou is a multi-layer tower-shaped architecture that the Chinese once built as defenses and folk dwellings in ancient times. Maxianglong Village is composed of 5 natural villages: Yong’an Village, Nan’an Village, Hedong Village, Qinglin Village, and Longjiang Village, which are like 5 pearls scattered among the region’s green mountains. Maxianglong Village was built by the Huang Family and the Guan Family in the later Qing Dynasty (1616-1911), and today there are 171 families with a total of 506 people living in the village; 80% of them, however, are overseas Chinese and are mainly distributed in the US, Canada, and Australia.

The Maxianglong Diaolou Cluster played an important part in protecting local villagers and their properties in ancient times. According to historical documents, the villagers suffered from devastating floods in 1963, 1965, and 1968, when each time the cottages were washed away by raging waters. Eventually, it was the famous Tianlu Diaolou that saved their lives. The other 14 Diaolous were later built in 1930s using a fusion of Chinese and western architecture styles; they have since become high examples of art in Maxianglong Village.

In the village, verdant bamboos and trees live harmoniously with the singing birds and blooming flowers giving forth their fragrance. All of these delicate details make Maxianglong Village seem just like a fairyland on earth. Behind the bamboo forest are 15 Diaolous and numerous cottages, all of which are strikingly well-preserved and integrated with the surroundings as a whole. The most representative Diaolou in the village is the 7-storied Tianlu Diaolou, built in the 14th year (1925) of the Republic of China (1912-1949) by 29 villagers. The tower a reinforced concrete building standing 21 meters tall. There are 29 rooms throughout the 1st to the 5th stories, each of which is shared by a fundraiser. When night falls, the fundraiser sleeps in his room in case of robbers. Beyond that, the 6th story functions as a public space, and the 7th story serves as a watchtower where visitors can find an unforgettable panoramic view of the village.

Address: in Maxianglong Village, southeast of Baihe Town, about 15 kilometers from Kaiping
Opening hours: all day
Bus routes: a direct bus from Kaiping