Kaiping Diaolou - A History of Chinese Laborers' Blood and Tears

Kaiping was the last stop on this trip. I was attracted to come here because I read the book "Gold Mountain" many years ago. Since then, I have always wanted to see these diaolou built with the blood and tears of Chinese laborers. Most of the residents in the Zili Village Diaolou Group Scenic Area have the surname Fang. "Gold Mountain" starts with the story of Fang Defa, a Chinese laborer from the late Qing Dynasty who went to Canada to pan for gold and build railways. It details the tragic struggles of his five generations in a foreign land, as well as their joys and sorrows, separations and reunions with their loved ones in their hometown. There are currently 9 diaolou left in Zili Village, each with a touching story behind it. The diaolou and houses in Zili Village are scattered in the rice fields or by the lotus pond. Walking in the field ridges after the Mid-Autumn Festival, although there are no lotus flowers in the pond, the diaolou group standing in the green rice fields is still the most beautiful scene.