THE CANADA VILLAGE - SINCE 1923 KAIPING, GUANGDONG, CHINA

[helen]

The Canada Village is located in Kaiping, a city in Southern China. It is about 125 KM from its provincial capital: Guangzhou, Guangdong.


canada villageIn 1923, the village was built by the oversea Chinese returned from Canada. The pioneers bought the land near Tan-Jiang river and built ten 2 to 3 levels detached houses and one 5 level Diaolou (watch tower). All the houses' structure and decoration are inspired by Canadian and European Architectures. Till late 1940s, the Canada Village had been blooming for over two decades. In early 1950s, all landlords' families started migrating to Canada again. The beauty of the village became the history.


canada village In 2007, the Kaiping Diaolou and villages were designated “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO [Extended Reading new window]. Thanks to the world class architects: Mr. Giora Solar and Mr. Arie Rahamimof. They well prepared a plan for Kaiping's cultural heritage and architecture conservation as well as tourism development [Extended Reading new window]. Since then, many visitors come to the villages for touring and researching purposes.


The Chinese Kaiping City Government also recognizes the value of the cultural treasure and budgets for building restoration and maintenance projects. The preservation teams started working in different villages in 2007.

[Quick Fact about Kaiping City]
canada villageKaiping is well-known by being the hometown of many oversea Chinese. Near the city, there are many historical buildings greatly inspired by Roman, Greek, and Renaissance Architectures. "Diaolou", a local name of multi-level watch tower, is common in the city. Natives built Diaolou to guard their villages and protect the families. The historical building "Expo" in Kaiping has been attractive to many visitors around the world.


The Canada Village Team
Tel: [phone] (Canada)
Email: [e-mail]
Mailing Address:
POB 32034, RPO Cambie
Richmond, BC
V6X 3R9
Canada




canadavillage.org/engHome.html

[lachinatown]

Interesting, there appears a lot of material on this village.

Here is a video from the village: 加拿大村”含中式元素 开平市成著名侨乡 ^{Click to the link}

A building with Canada's maple leaf.

Attachments:

[douglaslam]

Lachinatown, thanks for a very interesting video on Chikan albeit in Mandarin, but the Chinese subtitled helped. I was fortunate enough to have been there myself on a very wet June day in 2010 as reported on my travelogue. To recap, I was in a small diaolou tour group, four participants only, but with a guide and a driver. The river was a roaring torrent that day.

Fay Chee, Seto Liang, the man who helped to shed light on your family history, appeared at 6'30" in the second segment of the video.

I think Chikan will always remain, to those who care, a spiritual home to the Hoiping Kwan and Szeto descendants overseas. Don't put off your visit for too long. And don't be disheartened because you're the only one who care about the past. In every or other generation, there is always one or two individuals who emerged to take ownership of familial records. You are that person to your family. One day, others will beat a path to your place to tap into your in depth knowledge. Douglas

[FayChee]

Hi Douglas,
I just noted in your post that Seto Liang was in the second part of the Canada Village video......I guess the link that I had was for the first part. On the right side of the screen are other videos, but I can not discern which would be the second part of the Canada Village video. Can you guide me to the second part?

Thanks,

Fay Chee

[lachinatown]

I think she did three videos on Chikan which is the reporter's series on 岭南 (Lingnan, China's "Five Ranges" - Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces of modern China and northern Vietnam):

“加拿大村”含中式元素 开平市成著名侨乡 "Canadian village" with Chinese elements into the famous hometown of overseas Kaiping^{Click title for the video}

2012-05-08 印象岭南 赤坎小镇 Chikan town - Lingnan's Impression^{Click title for the video}

2012-05-15 印象岭南 赤坎小镇（下） 2012-05-15 Lingnan's impression - Chikan town (next)^{Click title for the video}

Let me see if I can get the names of the interviewees and their titles; one is a professor at a college I believe.

Wonderful videos.

[FayChee]

Hi Lachinatown,
Thank you for the extra links to the videos.....unfortunately the videos keep stopping and reloading, so it may be better to try late at night. I did, however, surprise myself when I recognized a Mandarin word that she said.... "ng-gwin", I believe means English, and I heard Soo Hoo as well.......actually, some of the words also sound like Cantonese too.

I really enjoyed seeing the Seto Library and Mr. Seto Liang....I recently bought some books from the library about the "200 Seto Villages" to give to my family, and he sent a nice letter.

[lachinatown]

Seto Library & Kwan Library

Actually DouglasLam was talking about 司徒亮 Seto Liang on the 4th video, about the two families fighting about their libraries (at 6'20" mark). Both Mr. Seto and Mr. Kwan spoke in Cantonese. (Maybe Douglas can explain the details of what the two gentlemen were saying, very interest story). I think the Seto Library was built first, then Kwan Library was built 5 years later.



赤坎改建街道骑楼林立 两大家族角力经济Chikan arcaded streets lined with two families alterations wrestling economy^{Click title for the video}

[FayChee]

Thanks for posting those pictures Lachinatown. I recognized Seto Liang from pictures that Douglas took during his Great Adventure, but wondered who that other person was....Mr. Kwan! And I did not know that I was looking at the 'rival' library too.....I just thought it was all about the Seto Library. I wish someone would make a video visiting all 200 Seto Villages (with subtitles)........

Thank you Helen for posting the original information and address for the Canada Village Team.

Fay Chee

[lachinatown]

Mr. Seto is identified as a Seto descendant.
Mr. Kwan as a Kwan clansman.

Each library had a different design. One of the gentleman said never allow a Kwan marrying a Seto.

Miss Yang, the reporter took delight in reporting how the Chinese learn English. They call it "chinglish". It is no different for English language people trying to learn Chinese, by using phonetical spelling. So for "orange", they would say 阿倫治 or A Lun Zhi (Mandarin) or A Leun Ji (Cantonese).

[FayChee]

Lachinatown,
I want to giggle everytime there is a reference to a 'feud' between the Kwans and the Setos, but is it serious or just a tongue-in-cheek feud? Should I not find humor in it?

Fay Chee

Hmmmmmmmmm.........I just noticed that you used the term 'descendant' versus 'clansman'.......now that sounds like it could be serious....sounds like a clansman is not as nice as descendant....

[lachinatown]

Fay Chee,

Here it is from Social organization in South China^{Click to read}:

Kwan (Guan) 關 and Sitou (Situ) 司徒 lineage had a history of feuding and cooperation since at least the 14th century. They were among the largest , most powerful lineages in the area. There was a marriage ban between the two clans from around 1890's to 1920's.

Despite the bans of marriage that extend to allied lineages, the Kwan (Guan) 關, Lau (Liu) 劉, Zoeng (Zhang) 張, and Ziu (Zhao) 趙 families (the four families of the Four Blood Brothers from the Three Kingdom period) of Hoiping (Kaiping) 開平 were allowed to intermarry, because the Kwans of Hoiping (Kaiping) 開平 were NOT direct descendants of Kwan Gung (Guan Gong) 關公, one of the Four Blood Brothers.

The men's titles were as shown on screen.

[FayChee]

Lachinatown,
That is so interesting! So I am from a Powerful Clan! I like that!

Fay Chee

[douglaslam]

Fay Chee, it is far too long to to relay what Seto Liang and Mr. kwan's oral history on the feuds between the two clans. It ended well as they later engaged in friendly rivalry because those people overseas couldn't see the point of it. They were from Hoiping, all in the same bost, making a living and fighting discrimination.

Seto Liang's handwriting is not the easiest to decipher. He addresses you as Clan Aunt Fay Chee either out of politeness, or that you are indeed one generation above him. Seto Liang mentions Mr. Lau's (laohuaqiao?) visit and your generous donation of a jiapu, family genealogy record and a sum of money (U.S.$500) He wishes to thank you on behalf of those connected with the library. In typical humbleness and politeness, he looks to you for guidance and invites you to a visit.

The twelve volume record you are acquiring is just too big for Mr. Lau to take back. Sea freight is cheaper but it takes three months, quite unacceptable time-wise. Mr. Lau gave him 300(?) RMB to cover freight costs, but the total is in fact 832 RMB. A receipt is enclosed for your perusal. Then, it is his deep gratitude for the well-meaning and keen interests you are showing.

Any shortcomings in translating the letter are all mine. I welcome corrections from other members.

Douglas

[FayChee]

Douglas,
Thanks so much for interpreting the letter, now I know I need to send him more money to cover the shipping costs. Yes, Laohuaqiao was kind enough to make a visit to the Seto Library for me and purchase additional copies of the recently published survey of the 200 Seto Villages. I am sending them out to relatives.



He also sent me copies of a picture book about the Kaiping Diaolous and a packet of postcards with pictures of Kaiping.





Thanks for explaining the current day 'feud' situation between the Kwans and Szeto's....I am glad it is not serious now.

Fay Chee

[lachinatown]

Looks very interesting books, Fay Chee.
Very nice of him.