The Guangdong Kaiping Diaolou.[Photo by Zou Zhongpin/Asianewsphoto]

The Guangdong Kaiping Diaolou is a defensive multi-storey tower-style building in villages. The Diaolou harmoniously coexists with the surrounding rural landscapes, and reflecting a complex and brilliant integration of Chinese and western building structures and decorative forms. Based on the criteria C(II)(III)(IV) for selection cultural heritage, the Guangdong Kaiping Diaolou and Villages were included in the World Heritage List on June 27, 2007.

The Kaiping Diaolou is located in Kaiping city, Guangdong province, and is a special vernacular building in China and is a multi-storey tower-style building that integrates defense, residence and art of Chinese and western architecture.

Kaiping is located between Xinhui, Taishan and Enping and was not administrated over by any of the four counties since the Ming Dynasty in 1368 and 1644. Therefore, it was a chaotic place with rampant bandits. In addition, there were many rivers causing numerous flood disasters when typhoons and storms hit, therefore the local villagers had to build the Diaolou for self protection.