Chikan 赤坎

Kaiping, Guangdong Province

 Home to the Grandmaster and Qilou Buildings

Rows of historic Qilou buildings and old world charm await the traveler in the Guangdong Village of Chikan

Arriving in Chikan 赤坎

Arrival in Chikan 赤坎 is quite spectacular. firstly, The town’s unique riverine setting, and it’s unbroken line of Qilou style buildings strung out along the entire Tanjiang River front, is one of Southern China’s most impressive sights.

Qilou Arcades: a Dilemma

Secondly, Chikan invites exploration, but at the same time there are the small, appealing restaurants under the Qilou arcades. This poses a dilemma for the traveler; exploration first, or a cold beer; we chose the latter, but both options are great because Chikan is a place to linger.

What are Qilou Buildings?

Qilou buildings are a construction style that developed in the late 19th and early 20th Century in Guangdong Province. As city streets were widened, Qilou buildings began to spring up and builders began to combine 18th Century Western architectural styles with traditional Cantonese styles.

Qilou Pillared Columns

The most prominent features are the pillared columns that provide shoppers and shopkeepers’ alike with shelter from the merciless sun and the torrential downpours. For example, The upper floors, usually three or four, are characterized by their European influenced wooden shutters or stained glass windows.

While some of the river front houses have been turned into Continue reading “Chikan Qilou Buildings”