Jiangmen 3-Day Guide: China's Overseas Chinese Capital, "Let the Bullets Fly" Filming Location

Jiangmen is home to the Kaiping Diaolou, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Director Jiang Wen's "Let the Bullets Fly" was filmed at Zili Village. Chikan Ancient Town features 600 years of arcade architecture. The Bird's Paradise was the prototype for Ba Jin's essay "Bird's Paradise." Xinhui Chenpi is valued at "one liang of Chenpi = one liang of gold" — Jiangmen is Guangdong's most storied city.

🚶 Day 1: Kaiping Diaolou (World Cultural Heritage)

Full Day: Kaiping Diaolou Cluster

• Kaiping Diaolou (combo ticket ¥180, includes major diaolou clusters): Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. 1,833 Chinese-Western fusion towers are scattered across the Kaiping countryside, blending ancient Greek colonnades, Roman arches, Islamic domes, and Baroque decorations — living fossils of overseas Chinese architecture. These diaolou served as both residences and fortifications, reflecting the history of the late Qing and early Republic era when banditry was rampant and overseas Chinese returned home to build towers for self-defense
• Zili Village Diaolou Cluster (included in combo): The best-preserved diaolou cluster, main filming location for "Let the Bullets Fly." Mingshi Tower (9 floors) offers expansive rooftop views overlooking the entire rice paddy and diaolou landscape. The "Goose City" gate from the movie is located here
• Majianglong Diaolou Cluster (included): A diaolou village surrounded by bamboo groves. Three-layer landscape of emerald bamboo + diaolou towers + rice paddies, incredibly photogenic, praised as "Kaiping's Most Beautiful Diaolou Village"
• Jinjiangli (included): Features the three tallest diaolou — Ruishi Tower (9 floors, Kaiping's tallest diaolou), Shengfeng Tower, and Jinjiang Tower. The three towers standing side by side is a spectacular sight
• Chikan Film Town (included): Filming location for numerous movies and TV dramas

Dinner & Accommodation

• Kaiping city: Eel Rice (¥35) — Taishan's signature dish, eel + Si Miao rice slow-cooked in one pot; Tofu Corner (¥5) — Chikan specialty snack; Magang Goose (¥48) — Kaiping local specialty
• Accommodation: Guesthouses near diaolou ¥150-300/night, Kaiping city hotels ¥200-400/night

🚶 Day 2: Chikan Ancient Town + Bird's Paradise

Morning: Chikan Ancient Town

• Chikan Ancient Town (free): A 600-year-old arcade town with the Tan River flowing through. Both banks preserve numerous late Qing and early Republic arcade buildings, European-style street + Zhonghua Road old arcades. The town has two century-old libraries — Guan Clan Library and Situ Clan Library — facing each other across the river, witnessing the educational rivalry between the two great clans