CNN | 2013-8-14

China's official desire to raise Kaiping's profile is understandable——the city offers a rare and tranquil travel experience that doubles as a history lesson on unique Chinese architecture.

The multistory watchtowers were built in the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as a defensive response to incessant bandit raids.Heavy flooding in the area also played into the need for towers and three types of Diaolou emerged over the centuries; defensive, residential and communal."Most Diaolou were designed with reinforced structures, thick walls and small windows," explains Liwen Huang, marketing manager for the Tourism Administration of Kaiping Travel Resource Development Center.At the beginning of the 20th century, Kaiping became a major source of overseas emigres.Many Kaiping natives eventually returned to the homes with newly acquired wealth, and built Diaolou with Western touches incorporated into the architecture.Residential Diaolou became a way for owners' to display their wealth via flamboyant designs.Along with the ancient Diaolou's historic significance, the unique fusion of Chinese and Western architecture was a major factor in UNESCO's 2007 decision to confer World Heritage Site designation upon the structures.Baroque, Roman and Gothic influences are clearly visible in many of the watchtowers."Chinese who went overseas brought these exotic elements back home, as they found Western architecture splendid while they were abroad," says Huang.In some cases, local builders worked from images on postcards that were sent from abroad, creating unique designs.