Exploring China’s FORTRESS VILLAGES 🏰 探索神秘的开平碉楼村 🐲

[@RespectOthers1]

Touring these historical buildings during daytime invokes poignancy. Doing the same at night…spookiness! As usual what a nice seamless transition into your sponsor’s product. :D

[@小肉肉-f4u]

I bet no one dare to stay in those abandoned buildings at night.

[@郭峰-c9g]

阳离子带我们进入一个时空胶囊。光看那些老东西，感觉人生短暂，一切都是瞬间的事。人生如同浮云花草，只是个过程。。

[@boonteoh2346]

Another impressive vlog, thanks Katherine. Never ending journey but historically rich of China's past.

[@jackturner188]

我觉得阳离子语文水平已经远超过我这个国人了，文案很地道，妥妥的满分作文。摄影技术也很棒，镜头角度都很合适。细节太丰富了，真羡慕这种观察生活的能力。太强了这期（还能恰到nordvpn的饭

[@alessiii58]

蚕豆的蚕繁体字都认出来

[@silverbeernuts4229]

K, you really impressed the hellnout of me identifying that Chinese complex character. Outstanding! Who was translating the letters? Was that Wei? It's sad how the original people have abandoned this place, but it's understandable, but it's just sad. Thank you for such a great documentary of the custom, living ways, superstitions, unique local architecture, and the geese mafia!

[@alexlazar4738]

Yea, I was also so impressed.. my mandarin reading is so poor that I would struggle with children books.. . to know obscure, rarely used characters ..I'm so envious

[@Albert_Einstein_not]

Yes... impressive

[@ruzhao7026]

I'm from Jiangmen and moved to the U.S in 2003, in my room there will still be old notebooks with my writings in it and a diary I had started when I was a kid. You finding those old letters left by people that have moved elsewhere really resonated with me. Thanks for another great video.

[@minggonghong7808]

欢乐来到开平，我的家乡

[@longyou8254]

Brave lady, come to China by self, riding bike all over China by self, exploring, collaborating, experiencing, vlog contents creating, so admirable 👍

[@bunnyfreakz]

She have her boyfriend accompany her. But again China overall is pretty safe place so both of them can go everywhere safely even desolated area are safe.

[@davidzan9190]

The village is UNESCO heritage. Back to the era, there are lot of banditry and gangs. The villagers also organized their own armed guards to fighting the banditry and gangs.

[@royabcde]

Welcome to Kaiping, the endearing little town where I was born and bred!

[@joshuaccc]

I guessed it right ,the question you left last video. As a northerner, I especially like Guangdong. I think they have retained the traditional Chinese culture very well. So I drive around Shenzhen for a casual trip almost every weekend

[@qiachengli5209]

;) Hey Katherine, thanks for sharing this vlog!! I was born and raised in Kaiping and moved to the US almost 10 years ago.. due to covid I haven’t been able to get back to my hometown for couple years and your video makes me miss Kaiping so much.. It’s a beautiful small town 😬

[@kats_journey_east]

Hope you get a chance to come back soon🌻🌻

[@davepsk7334]

Wonderful and insightful episode. I believe Amy went there after she got back to China from Australia. But you my friend the great Katherine presented it in another much more exiting way. Love your adventures, the humor is very important here. It's your trademark!! Love it!

[@jcgoobee]

Thanks so much for taking the time to shoot all these interesting videos while you're in China. As a Hong Kong born, Chinese American, I would LOVE to visit those places that you have taken us to in a near future. China is such a fascinating country and my root. I feel that I'm obligated to know about my motherland more while I'm still young. Thank you for doing what you do. I enjoy every video that you make. Merry X'mas and Happy New Year!

[@走壹壹]

欢迎你 Welcome

[@wanben3524]

When the covid ban at the border control is lifted, i hope I could follow your foot prints and visit all the places that you have shown us in your videos! Another excellent video, both informative and educational! Hope one day you would come to Hong Kong and make a video of it. If you do, the Hakka culture in Hong Kong will be an interesting area to explore!

[@josechong8207]

Glad to find another Hakka here, watching Katherine's videos.

[@wanben3524]

@@josechong8207 Great Men think alike 🙂

[@josechong8207]

@@wanben3524 我們是自己人 I'm not sure if I am writing it correctly.. But in Hakka we have a saying.. Shi Ka Nguin.. Unfortunately for me I was born and raised outside of Asia and never had formal Chinese language education. I can only speak Hakka and Cantonese (have basic survival everyday vocabulary)... When Hong Kong opens up and I get to travel maybe we could have a cup of Starbucks coffee together in Langham Shopping Center or MOKO shopping centre in New century plaza

[@wanben3524]

@@josechong8207 Your life story resonates with me and many fellow Hakka people. My great granddad settled in Jamaica and never returned to Hong Kong, my father moved to the UK in the 60s, and I moved there in 1982, when I was 16. I returned to HK in 1998. I notice that u have a Spanish name - do u live in Spain or a Spanish speaking country? It will be an utter pleasure to meet up with u when Hong Kong opens up! Your Chinese writing is correct :-)

[@josechong8207]

@@wanben3524 I believe most Hakka, we share the same life stories - those born and raised outside of China did so because our parents and grandparents were escaping the horrors of war, famine and extreme poverty after the devastating effects of the hundred years of humiliation, followed by the Japanese occupation, and the two world wars. I heard some went to Jamaica, others went to Central and South America, settling in Peru, Panama, etc.

[@relaxwhc]

If you enjoyed this video, hit like to show Katherine 😺ion your undying support 👍🔥💥

[@kats_journey_east]

Thanks😎😎

[@relaxwhc]

@@kats_journey_east you're welcome 👍🔥

[@taoxu7627]

I really appreciate your vlog contents. As a Chinese living in the USA for more than two decades, I learned a lot from your vlogs. You are becoming more Chinese than me now :-)

[@SCIFIGAMESFANS]

There are many beautiful isle in China that you can explore

[@adamhonolulu2650]

Thanks for the wonderful video on diaolou. My mom and dad emigrated from small villages near Chonglou, Taishan area, and my dad's village has a small four story diaolou. My dad told me when he was a child during 1920s-1930s, his village had guards atop their diaolou armed with rifles to fend off bandits. I visited my dad's village in 1983, 2011 and 2013, and the village converted their diaolou into a chicken coop! Different times, different purpose. Thanks again for your wonderful videos showing what China is like. Keep up the good work!

[@kats_journey_east]

At least they are using it for something🤣🤣 so cool that you are staying connected with your family’s heritage , my father and I are completely disconnected from our heritage in Sweden 😭

[@adamhonolulu2650]

@@kats_journey_east Bummer, sorry to hear about your disconnection with your Swedish heritage. Yes, my adventures to my paternal ancestral villages near Taishan were to locate and obtain my genealogical records, and I was successful! It was a very rewarding adventure because the genealogy traced my lineage back to over 900 years! Perhaps Chinese genealogy records can be a future topic for your vlog? That would be cool!

[@azharidris7092]

they have to do something about restoring some of those building.. if they don't in just a few decades it will crumble and rot.. some of those multi-storey tower could be turned into boutique hotel.. if they can do that to other historical old villages why not this one.. that village has so much potential..

[@josechong8207]

Thank you Katherine for your researched explanation as to why three items (three cups) are used as offerings to those that have passed. I had no idea why 3. I guess that could explain why we also bow three times, etc. I am Hakka and my ancestors can be traced to Guangzhou and Huadu District near Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. So, yes, we are very superstitious. :) During Chinese New Year (and also during our Gregorian Calendar New Year), we have a few things we don't do on the first day of the year, like wash our hair, sweep the floors, etc. I love your bike rides throughout China. Thank you for documenting it for us. I always look forward to your new videos.

[@jacky5665]

我是一个梅州的客家人，欢迎你有时间回来看看

[@马化腾-p1e]

7:20 蠶 I just typed this character with wubi before you spoke it out 蚕 -- you're amazing! You know Chinese characters better than most of Chinese!

[@danielwang5360]

我震惊了！！！一个美国人教一个中国人读繁体字， 蚕豆的“蚕”，Katherine太厉害了👍

[@suechewyap2020]

I have been to this world heritage site. Very interesting place. I visited one of the houses where the main door has a secret locking mechanism that can only be opened if you know how it works otherwise you are trapped. Keep up the good work, Kat. I always enjoy watching your videos.

[@johnli6782]

Wow! This is a beautiful trip. Thank you for sharing it. The history and the immediacy of the feeling and images of the time is simply priceless. Watch it all the way to the end and just want to say again, what a wonderful video. Thank you.

[@wildcat5625]

Very interesting old village. Thanks for sharing. Take care and continue sharing this kind of videos around the rural China.

[@fongf]

My dad is from 开平! Mom used to talk about all these 碉楼 back in his village...😆😆😆

[@CLee-h8n]

My cousin, on my Chinese side of my family, just shared this with the family in a group text. It sounded like this was the area that my Grandfather and Great-Uncle lived, and puts into context the story of my Great-Uncle being dressed as a girl by his grandmother so the pirates (as they referred to them) wouldn't steal him away to force him to work for them. It explains why the only photo I've seen of the family house looked so western. A handful of my dad's side has been back to visit the house and some have visited with those of the family that stayed behind in the 1930s, when the sons (my grandfather & his older brother) were sent to America.

[@vc4510]

Interesting.

[@hammylauw9574]

Katherine, I always learns some-new-things from you, thank You..❤

[@Albert_Einstein_not]

Another excellent video... it’s very well researched and presented. I was both educated and entertained. Thank you. Looking forward to your next video

[@rapidrainc9318]

Another brilliant episode. Thank you for showing those cool architectures, relaxing and eye riveting scenery, the brisk background music, and the pretty presenter, you. Wonderful.

[@chungwong2004]

Katherine has surprised me that she guess correctly the traditional chinese character of broadbean even the tour guide doesn't know it.

[@tkh2944]

That's what happens when you're passionate in doing things - learning the language in this case ?

[@nsebast]

Well Katherine is highly educated (bachelor degree in Chinese), the tour guide probably wasnt.

[@iWantPeace838]

Another well thought out and well presented video. Great job. I like your signature elements: small creatures, talking to senior locals, and of course, the casual appearance of Wei. Keep it up, mate.

[@ruiwenzeng5807]

It’s so funny that you guessed the 蠶 character. You beat your Chinese friend! 😂😂😂

[@bengt_axle]

(2:13) I once attended a Chinese wedding where one of the grandmothers attending was a 2nd (or 3rd) wife, living in a different country (I think Hong Kong) from the other wife. This was in Vancouver, Canada many years ago. This video gives a little bit more perspective of that life, and I see that this woman may have even been living in a diaolou. This is one of the few videos where Wei is talking quite a bit and you two are conversing. You really do live in Mandarin!

[@kats_journey_east]

The guys in the video are not Wei 😜😜but I do live in mandarin . Haha

[@bengt_axle]

@@kats_journey_east oh, of course, you’re with your second boyfriend. Very common in this age of KZbin. Ha,ha.

[@junkman8882]

This is a great video with lots of historical info... Keep doing this... I've learned a lot from you

[@lamheenhammer7802]

Another great video! Thank you for the history lesson. Your videos are both educational and humorous. Haha terrifying bamboo.

[@ODOB]

Greetings and Merry Christmas to you both. Another great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@rebecca2950]

👍👍👍🥰🥰🥰Wow , you shared amazing history, every house , every piece of furniture , and how complicated those bamboos look like just how complicate the situation is our world is . The red notebook is also very precious . I don’t know how you could find thee amazing and precious antiques . You certainly spent a lot time did your homework before your visit . It was around 1947 which it was closer to the time just right before my mom left China . What an amazing precious video you have done. I have learned a lot from this video you introduced to us We will forever treasure this video . Great work . Thank you Katherine for sharing this village. 🙏🙏🥰💕🥰💕🥰💕

[@kats_journey_east]

Glad you liked it🌞I always like to pay attention to lots of small details , there are so many fascinating things around us

[@rebecca2950]

@@kats_journey_east My mom and I appreciate your effort to make each video to bring the beautiful country of China with interesting places and amazing history to show the world where you live . We have learned so much through each video from the hard work you have done . I hope we will keep watching your video with many more amazing and interesting places . I hope your passion for Chinese , loving thoughts for the people who you share daily life with you in China will continue inspiring many more people around the world . Thank you Katherine. Even though I’m far away from you but I feel close to you and China by watching you talking to us about your life in China . We fall in love with China with you . ❤️ 🥰

[@babyiloveu]

I love this video! It brought me great childhood memories of my hometown. ❤️❤️❤️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@philjchow]

Visited with my mom her village, Ng Lung, in fall of 2019. Her first time back in 50 years since she left for Hong Kong and then emmigrated to Canada. Like in your video, the village is mostly abandoned. It was like a ghost town. Only few people live there, mostly elders, one dog and chickens (no geese though). Most moved to Kaiping City, Guangzhou & lots long time ago, to Canada & US. Her childhood home still stood, boarded up and we didn't have the keys to go in (the person who has keys to it lives in Guangzhou). My mom pointed out where the flower garden and fruit trees, sitting area once stood, now taken back by Nature.

[@KennyL0009]

Great vlog Catherine. You're becoming a historian and definitely enjoying your work. Looking forward to your next video.

[@Speedz1980]

Great video Katherine! Happy to learn more about China from you again.

[@steveliu5392]

Very exceptional introduction from foreigner’s eyes , far beyond compare ! Good job .

[@hongbozhao3883]

The little gadgets, artifacts, and books are so fascinating... I recall the same feeling as a child when exploring the old dusty textbooks from the 70s in a deserted house owned by a relative. Really curious what the book 靓女芳心 is all about 😂😂

[@戢鎮海]

Katherine, you surely know some Chinese old culture. People use some decorations to hope to bring fortune, wealth, luck, and health to the family.

[@kats_journey_east]

Holiday Season Deal! Go to nordvpn.com/katherine to get a 2-year plan plus 1 additional month with a huge discount 🎄 ❄️ **target user base is overseas customers, as with most VPNs Nord is not compatible in China

[@小肉肉-f4u]

'蠺'豆 how can you read that traditional word 🤔 As a Chinese mainlanders, I can not.

[@ulisirius9027]

Better housing. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z53Ul3lsrLSeg8U

[@ulisirius9027]

@@小肉肉-f4u She is very smart. (And a beauty)

[@小肉肉-f4u]

@@ulisirius9027 I agree. I hope ehe will the US ambassador to China one day 🙏

[@ulisirius9027]

Da empfehle ich auf YT: Wir schmücken den Weihnachtsbaum! - Gemütlicher Vorweihnachtsabend in der Redaktion!

[@bernardhan2657]

Very glad to see your “historian” type work! It is very educational and wish to watch your vlog more - once a week at least! Great job!

[@silverbeernuts4229]

Katherine and Wei, I want to wish you both happy holidays and a happy new year! Wish you both happiness and warmth from America! Cheers!

[@joycesito3627]

中國的媳婦，你好，我早兩年在頭條關注你，想不到在KZbin又見到你，而且係去到我家鄉，希望我家鄉的風景令你流連忘返，介紹多些朋友認識和了解中國的風土人情❤❤❤

[@evolution118]

Really fascinating. I love the background music you used as well.

[@cuibin1636]

You are enjoying the trip and we are enjoying your sharing, thank you!

[@predrag-peterilich900]

Very interesting! Another full hit, Katherine. And yeah, let's not make a video without geese mafia! You are, in my eyes, becoming an institution; a living, dynamic cultural institution. Thank you so much.

[@kats_journey_east]

Glad you liked it 😁 the geese mafia are everywhere , they are becoming an important Element in my videos🤣🤣

[@hainanbob6144]

Another nice video, as always. I often wish when we are roaming the countryside that we could buy one of the old places and renovate it to live there. Unfortunately that's not possible. Looking forward to the next installment.

[@willengel2458]

well, yes and no. my abc cousin took my aunt to China, went through all the paperwork and reclaimed my maternal grandfather's house, land and all back in the 90's. my father never reclaimed my grandfather's house because his friend was living in the house at the time. one day out of the blue, my sister called and told me the current occupant (squatter) wants us to relinquish our rights in writings to the house, so she could renovate the house. LOL Kaiping, Toishan, Shunde, and another county share the same dialect. all the unoccupied houses and land belong to somebody, more than likely overseas.

[@unoshieh3722]

OMG！阳离子 in Kiaping, my hometown. great vlog! love it.

[@anjaseidl4003]

Hy, is this really all mobile filmed. Everything is so professional. light, sound, camera technique, cutter work..... To me, a professional filmer work.

[@jerometsowinghuen]

Greetings from Hong Kong. Hello, Miss Katherine. I found your KZbin channel as a suggestion from Miss Amy’s (Blondie in China), Miss Anming’s (Oriental Pearl), Miss Kaja’s, Miss Jaclyn’s (English with Jackie) and Miss Erica’s (Erica’s Journey) channels. Anyway, the Fortress Villages (開平調樓村) sounds interesting, that I think I heard about this history during General Studies from elementary school or Chinese History from high school. Moreover, although I haven’t been to America in my entire life, but maybe could learn from some of your videos besides exploring, as well as Chinese History, historical sites, heritages, adventure and life between both countries.

[@meilingliu6530]

Thanks Katherine, sometimes I feel that you are my Ancestors reincarnated taking us to see history and story telling of their past life. I am fully traveling along side with you and your 'Loukung'

[@铁哥-y9j]

Hi Katherine I just subscribed your channel recently and I surprised that you actually went to kaiping which is a nearby town close to Taishan I was born and raised there before I immigrated to the US when I was 12, kaiping and taishan are well known the town for the overseas thank you for sharing the video！

[@yingxu7908]

First time to see a bamboo luxtrury vilage ，thank you very much

[@蒋向前]

阳离子妹妹，作为中国人都没去过那里，你的视频有时间的味道，让我回忆起祖宗祠堂里的香火，回忆起吃饭时没有等所有人一起再开饭要挨揍，第一筷子没夹素菜被外公拿筷子敲脑袋，回忆起在竹园藤蔓里自己搭建的秘密基地，回忆起小河边树下妈妈婶婶捶打衣服的石条，现在都没有了，所以我喜欢广东，那里有很多传统的东西，据说我们这里的人也是客家人搬过来的，所以口音跟湖南口音决然不同

[@snepsnep8700]

very interesting buildings! wow! thank you for showing us :)

[@阿棗]

[@missfabiolalala203]

Omgggg that is my home town Kaiping!!!❤️❤️ The place where I was born and raised!

[@coach41]

I was in Kaiping back in April and just a week ago (LOL). I went to the Fortress village (free area) and then the paid area. Good to see some different things in China. But the main reason I wasin Kaiping was to visit my parents home villages. I saw my dad's in April and my mom's a week ago. Just like many of the rural villages in China, my parents villages (esp,, the older homes) are abandoned. Sad but it was good to visit and see my anvcetral roots.

[@coach41]

I should clarify - I was in the Kaiping area (took high speed rail from GuongZhou South to Kaiping station. Someone picked us up where we visited the Fortresses. Then we went to Taishan (you might see Toishan or Hoishan, which is how it's pronounced in the local dialect which I speak). After a long day, we took the high speed rail from the Taishan station and transferred at Kaping back to GuongZhou South.

[@weiwenzhang4711]

Just found your channel today, like it very much and watched your videos almost whole day today. And suddenly found this one. So surprised and excited you have been to Kaiping where is my hometown.

[@bornthiswe516]

What a world!

[@johno.9185]

I’m here just to see this woman. Such a wonderful woman! Loving, kind, smart, beautiful, fun, and simply amazing!

[@preciousjewels5921]

I use that Hazeline cream back in the early 90s.

[@davidlam2320]

Hey the village is had mentioned is my late mom's village thanks you for showing "hoi ping" add oils my family and I enjoyed yours videos very much once again thanks

[@overvelmingjesus5746]

Beautiful and nostalgic, looking forward to your next riding video!

[@aiart3453]

The best ever, u made me emotional. U deserve 2 trillion subscribers

[@kzdhcster]

400KM cycling. 👍👍👍👍 I wish I could be there for the cycling. Thank you for the interesting video.

[@iamcanadianedmonton]

my goodness, you have been to more places in china than some of the overseas chinese like myself 🤣🤣🤣. not only that, you speak much better putonghua than some of us also 😢😢😢. you should rename your vlog as " travel around china in 80+ days". 😊😊😊. love from canada.

[@Harveyinchina]

We're missing you and Wei and your videos! Hope you guys managed to have a great Christmas despite everything 😌

[@kats_journey_east]

We did our best to have a good Christmas , thanks , a new video is coming soon🙂🙂

[@johnniewalker7628]

There are buildings like these all over the place in China(Southern). My grandfather Brought back money from Cuba and build an ancestry home in the 40s that looks similar. I was told while they were building the home, Japanese Zeros were flying overhead.

[@cocoyu7616]

歷史風俗旅遊👏🏼🥰😙很棒的視頻👍🏼👍🏼💗加油⛽️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@truthful3777]

Minute 5.00 remind me of my mother Hazeline Snow that she used in the 1970s and 1980s.....

[@celiad6012]

So interesting!

[@albertlee8342]

Katherine seems change loving archeology and museum science!

[@esbliss13]

Strangely there's a dialou fortress in Wisconsin on CR 20 between Washara and Oshkosh. 😄

[@captainaustralia6167]

Well done Kath ! Always good quality videos !!! We all can see you have done lots of homework !!!

[@Peter-eg3ux]

You're exploring the way I want to. Envy envy envy 🤩

[@truthbetold001]

Southern Chinese version of Rhodes Island mansions. Have you ever pay a visit since they are enroute to Vermont ? They happened to featured in an antique show and I am impressed by old age opulence and their durability like the Diaolous.

[@Bai_L]

14:29 Interesting to see you are of Swedish descent. In one of your previous episodes, you used the word "smorgasbord". I've never seen any English speaker using that word. In Swedish, it's smörgåsbord.

[@yinancheng9499]

Great travel, great explanation, great content overall. 太厉害了！

[@jesseyang8172]

The bamboo fortress is exactly like what they show in Shang-chi!

[@souphero4963]

OMG Even the letters are preserved

[@Candy-eg8zo]

You should also visit Taishan, Kaiping is very close to Taishan

[@anjaseidl4003]

Looks like nice boutique hotels. Like: make one a boutique hotels, and the others like museum. Can anyone enter????? I cannot imagine

[@kszeto2432]

Great video

[@Ezio-o5n]

《Let The Bullets Fly》was filmed right here

[@richbarrows3922]

One of your best!

[@stchan8569]

If you have time you may like to explore, there are few Hakka wall villages in Shenzhen, one of them is Dawan in Pingshan.

[@kats_journey_east]

I want to see the Hakka villages in the spring 😍😍

[@kats_journey_east]

Oh I thought you were talking about Tulou, Hakka villages in Shenzhen I have seen a couple , there is some footage of them in my Chinese New Year video 😎

[@lcyfan8679]

我的家乡 很亲切!

[@tonylaw5910]

it looks historical but peacefull.

[@vickydu494]

Katherine, you are so good at finding these interesting places!

[@miraclemaker9750]

太棒了好想去看看摸摸這些歷史痕跡！ 真的很喜歡妳的能量！

[@kilogm748]

" I see you..I see you! " sounds like from the movie Predator

[@Max-um4ze]

Interesting place, I might just have to go there one day.