Chikan Overseas Chinese Town

Chikan Overseas Chinese Town is a historical town themed around the culture of overseas Chinese. It is also a comprehensive tourist resort in Jiangmen City, Guangdong, offering sightseeing, leisure, business exhibitions, cultural creativity, and an authentic old town experience. The town is known for its large and well-preserved arcade buildings, rich overseas Chinese culture, vibrant street life, exciting cultural performances, and comfortable homestays and hotels, making it an ideal vacation spot in Jiangmen.

Development History

The development of Chikan Overseas Chinese Town can be traced back to the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Situated on the banks of the Tan River, it became a major water transport hub due to its convenient waterways. The town's growth is closely tied to the Guan and Situ families, who divided it into two distinct areas. The western part was mainly inhabited by the Guan family, while the eastern part was predominantly occupied and operated by the Situ family. The centuries-long friendly competition between these two families contributed to Chikan's cultural prosperity, with many of the town's significant attractions being related to them.

Top Attractions in the Town

Situ Family Library and Guan Family Library

These libraries are important symbols of the two families. The Situ Family Library, with its distinctive Portuguese architectural style, is located at the east end of the lower town by the Tan River and has three floors. The Guan Family Library, made of reinforced concrete, is located on the west bank of the upper town and is three stories high with a large clock tower and a courtyard, covering an area of 709.5 square meters.

European Style Street

DiXi Road in Chikan Town is known as the European Style Street, where the shop buildings are well-preserved with a 1920s flair. Early overseas Chinese from America and Europe brought back foreign architectural designs and integrated them with local traditional styles to create a series of buildings with a blend of Chinese and Western elements, particularly reflected in the rooftop architecture.

Jinghui Building

Located on the famous European Style Street of Chikan Old Town, Jinghui Building is the only place to visit to understand the hundred-year history of Chikan Old Town, also known as the Chikan Historical and Cultural Museum. Named after the famous doctor Zhang Jinghui from the Republic of China period, this well-known arcade building is 45 meters long and 5 meters wide.

Film and Television City

Built in 2005, Chikan Film and Television City covers an area of 60,000 square meters and has been the filming location for many famous films and TV shows, such as the Hong Kong movie "Half a Loaf of Kung Fu" starring Jackie Chan and Anita Mui, and the TV series "Eighteen Years in the Enemy Camp," "Anxiang," and films like "Let the Bullets Fly" and "The Grandmaster."

Canada Village

Located next to the 325 National Highway section of Chikan Town, Canada Village is a village under the jurisdiction of Xia Village. It has a strong European flair but also retains many traditional Chinese characteristics, hence the blend of Chinese and Western styles. The village is named "Canada Village" because all the buildings were built by overseas Chinese who lived in Canada. At the entrance of the village, there is a Diaolou—Si Hao Building. There is also the "Chun Ru" house with a strong Nanyang style, and the two betel nut trees in front of the house are 80 years old.

Arcade Buildings

The arcade buildings are a distinctive feature of Chikan Town, with about three kilometers and approximately six hundred arcades, especially along DiXi Road. The construction is exquisite, with almost one roof per building, combining various Western-style roof facades with traditional Chinese "Jin" character tile roofs and Baroque-style roof decorations, embedded with colored glass wooden windows. The arcades of Chikan Town form a continuous stretch, standing tall along the streets of DiXi Road, DiDong Road, Zhonghua Road, Niuwei Road, and other sections.

Tour Routes

1. Boat Route: Starting from the entrance, there are three routes to choose from for touring: Entrance to Upper Town, Entrance to Lower Town, Upper Town to Lower Town;

• Tourist Center Pier → Situ Family Pier
• Guan Family Pier → Situ Family Pier
• Situ Family Pier → Tourist Center Pier
• Situ Family Pier → Guan Family Pier

2. Tram: Starting from the entrance, the route circles the outer streets of Chikan Old Town to appreciate the historical street scenery;

• Tram stops include Chikan Town Station, Queen's Bar Station, Kaiping Guild Hall Station, San Francisco Station, Paris Hotel Station.

3. Walking Tour: From Traditional Handicraft Street to Culture Street, European and American Style Street, Fashion Shopping Street, Traditional Hotel Street, Workshop Street, and Nanyang Style Street, the tour integrates into the bustling street life along a historical timeline.

How to Get There

From Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Chikan Old Town: Depart from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to T2 Terminal Bus Station or T1 Terminal B3 Gate Airport Express Service Counter to buy tickets and take the bus. The route passes through Shuikou Bus Station and arrives directly at Kaiping Yici Bus Station. Take bus 606 to reach Chikan Old Town parking lot.