Qiaojia Grand Courtyard Cultural Park is located in Qiaojiabao Village, Dongguan Town, Qi County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and an outstanding representative of northern residential architecture in the Qing Dynasty. Centered on Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, the scenic area integrates the display of Shanxi merchants' culture, traditional residential sightseeing, and folk custom experience, and is known as "a pearl of northern residential architecture". Qiaojia Grand Courtyard was first built in 1756, with a total area of about 4,175 square meters. It consists of 6 large courtyards, 20 small courtyards, and 313 rooms. The overall layout is in the shape of "double happiness". The architectural style combines the rigorous regularity of northern residences with the luxury and exquisiteness of Shanxi merchants. The "three carvings" (brick carving, wood carving, and stone carving) art can be seen all over the courtyard, with exquisite craftsmanship and rich themes. The scenic area has now been expanded into a cultural park including the main body of Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, Shanxi Merchants Folk Custom Museum, and Shanxi Merchants Theater, with a total area of 2.87 square kilometers. It is an important window to understand Shanxi merchants' culture and northern traditional residences.
Historical Culture
Qiaojia Grand Courtyard is the mansion of the Qiao family, a prominent Shanxi merchant family. The Qiao family rose to prominence during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, famous for operating tea, draft banks, pawnshops, etc. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, it became one of the eight major surnames of Shanxi merchants, with its business territory spreading all over the country, even extending to Russia, Mongolia and other places. Adhering to the family motto of "integrity first, diligence and frugality in managing the family", the Qiao family attached importance to education while doing business. Famous Shanxi merchant representatives such as Qiao Zhiyong emerged from the family, and his business philosophy of "connecting the whole country through remittance" had a profound impact on the development of modern Chinese financial industry.
The architectural history of Qiaojia Grand Courtyard reflects the rise and fall of the Shanxi merchant family. It was initially built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and expanded many times during the Jiaqing, Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Guangxu periods, forming the current scale. During the Republic of China, although the Qiao family gradually declined, the courtyard became a typical specimen of northern residences due to its complete preservation. In 1985, Qiaojia Grand Courtyard was opened as Qi County Folk Custom Museum, and became widely known in 1990 due to the filming of the movie "Raise the Red Lantern". The courtyard houses more than 30,000 cultural relics from the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic of China, including furniture, porcelain, calligraphy and painting, coins, etc., which systematically display the life of Shanxi merchants and northern folk culture. Among them, "Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon Mirror", "Nine-Dragon Lamp", and "Thousand People Ball" are known as the "Three Treasures of the Qiao Family".
Main Attractions
Main Body of Qiaojia Grand Courtyard
The main body of Qiao's Family Compound is the core of the scenic area. Facing south, it is surrounded by a 10-meter-high blue brick wall with crenels and watchtowers, resembling a castle. The compound is divided into eastern and western parts by a north-south central axis. The eastern part consists of the Northeast Courtyard and Southeast Courtyard, while the western part comprises the Northwest Courtyard and Southwest Courtyard. The central area houses the ancestral hall and garden, forming an overall "double happiness" layout, which symbolizes auspiciousness. Each courtyard follows a "siheyuan" (quadrangle) pattern, consisting of a main house, side houses, and inverted houses. Most of the buildings have a hard gable roof style, adorned with exquisite brick-carved gate towers and wood-carved window lattices. Among them, the "Ming Tower" in the Northwest Courtyard is the tallest building in the entire compound, standing 15 meters high with three floors. Originally serving as the Qiao family's accounting office, climbing the tower offers a panoramic view of the entire compound. Among the "three carvings" (brick, wood, and stone carvings) in the compound, the brick-carved "Hundred Longevity Characters" screen wall, the wood-carved "Grape and Hundred Sons" pendant, and the stone-carved "Fu, Lu, Shou, Xi" (fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness) column bases are the most renowned, showcasing the superb craftsmanship of folk arts in the Qing Dynasty.
Shanxi Merchants Folk Custom Museum
Shanxi Merchants Folk Custom Museum is located on the west side of Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, covering an area of about 8,000 square meters. It consists of 5 exhibition halls, systematically displaying Shanxi merchants' culture through physical objects, models, multimedia, etc. The first exhibition hall "Origin of Shanxi Merchants" introduces the historical background and geographical factors of the rise of Shanxi merchants; the second exhibition hall "Business Network" shows the business routes of Shanxi merchants "going to the west" with maps and business models; the third exhibition hall "Legend of Draft Banks" restores the counter and accounting room scenes of Qiao's draft bank, showing the prototype of China's earliest bank; the fourth exhibition hall "Family Life" displays furniture, clothing, tableware, etc. used by the Qiao family, reflecting the lifestyle of Shanxi merchants; the fifth exhibition hall "Folk Customs" shows the traditional folk customs of Jinzhong area through the restoration of wedding customs, festivals, temple fairs and other scenes. There is also an interactive experience area in the museum, where visitors can participate in activities such as simulating draft bank remittance and traditional abacus calculation.
Qiao Family Ancestral Hall
Qiao Family Ancestral Hall is located at the north end of the central axis of the courtyard, a place for the Qiao family to worship their ancestors. It covers an area of about 500 square meters, consisting of a gate tower, a main hall, and side rooms. The gate tower is a single-eave gable roof, with the four characters "Guang Qian Yu Hou" (glorify the past and enrich the future) inscribed on the lintel, and brick-carved "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" pictures on both sides, with exquisite craftsmanship. The main hall houses the memorial tablets of the Qiao family's ancestors, with the memorial tablet of Qiao Guifa, the founder of the Qiao family, in the center. Sacrificial vessels such as bronze tripods and censers are placed on both sides. Ancestor worship ceremonies are held in the ancestral hall every Qingming Festival and Winter Solstice. This tradition has now been restored, and visitors can watch the etiquette performance to understand the patriarchal system and filial piety culture of the Shanxi merchant family. There are two ancient cypresses in the courtyard in front of the ancestral hall, about 200 years old, with luxuriant branches and leaves, symbolizing the prosperity of the family.
Garden
The garden is located on the south side of the ancestral hall, connected with various courtyards, covering an area of about 1,200 square meters, a place for the Qiao family's leisure and entertainment. The garden adopts a style combining northern and southern gardens, with rockeries, ponds, pavilions, corridors and other landscapes. Koi are raised in the pond, and a "Yao Yue Ting" (Moon Inviting Pavilion) is built on the rockery, where you can enjoy the moon and the scenery. The garden is planted with crabapples, magnolias, peonies and other flowers and trees. In spring, the flowers are in full bloom, contrasting with the blue brick and gray tile buildings. The "Ting Yu Xuan" (Rain Listening Pavilion) on the east side of the garden is where the owner of the Qiao family tasted tea and discussed affairs. The pavilion is furnished with Qing Dynasty tables and chairs, and a map of the Qiao family's business is hung on the wall, showing the elegant life of Shanxi merchants in their busy business.
"See Pingyao Again" Theater (Associated Attraction)
Although "See Pingyao Again" Theater is not located in Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, it is an important extension of Shanxi merchant culture experience, about 30 kilometers away from Qiaojia Grand Courtyard. It is a large-scale live performance venue directed by the famous director Wang Chaoge. The theater covers an area of about 15,000 square meters. The performance is based on a legendary story of Shanxi merchant draft banks, allowing the audience to travel back to the ancient Pingyao City in the Qing Dynasty through an immersive experience, feeling the integrity and responsibility of Shanxi merchants. The performance lasts about 90 minutes, with one show at 14:00 and 19:00 every day. It forms a "residential sightseeing + cultural experience" linkage route with Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, and many tourists will visit both in a series.
Cuisine
Pingyao Beef
Pingyao Beef is the most famous food around Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, a traditional famous dish in Jinzhong, Shanxi, with a history of more than 1,000 years. It uses locally raised yellow cattle, made through the process of "pickling, boiling, and smoking". The finished product is ruddy in color, tender in meat, not dry even after long chewing, and has no fishy smell. In the restaurants in Qiaojiabao Village, Pingyao Beef can be served as a cold platter (about 200 grams per plate, priced at 30 yuan), or used in stir-fries and soups. The Shanxi Merchants Restaurant in the scenic area offers "beef hot pot", which cooks beef with local sauerkraut and tofu, with a unique flavor, suitable for eating in autumn and winter. A 4-person portion is about 180 yuan.
Youmian Kaolaolao
Youmian Kaolaolao is a traditional pasta in northern and central Shanxi, common in farm restaurants around Qiaojia Grand Courtyard. It is made of oat flour, rubbed into rolls by hand, shaped like a honeycomb, steamed and served with mutton soup or tomato and egg sauce. It has a chewy texture, rich in protein and dietary fiber. Oats are a local cold-resistant crop, suitable for growing in mountainous areas, and also a portable dry food for Shanxi merchants when traveling. A portion of Youmian Kaolaolao is about 300 grams, priced at 18 yuan. It can be eaten with vinegar or chili, and served cold with shredded cucumber in summer, refreshing and delicious.
Taigu Cake
Taigu Cake is a specialty of Taigu County, Shanxi, about 50 kilometers away from Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, a common souvenir for tourists. It is made of flour, sugar, and sesame oil, baked into a round shape, about 10 cm in diameter and 2 cm in thickness, with a crispy outer skin and a soft filling, with a sesame fragrance. The shelf life of Taigu Cake is about 15 days. In the shops of Qiaojia Grand Courtyard scenic area, each bag (10 pieces) is priced at about 25 yuan. It is said to be a household pastry of Taigu Shanxi merchants in the Qing Dynasty, and became a snack for Shanxi merchants when they went out to do business because it is easy to carry and has a sweet taste.
Tickets
The ticket is 115 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "乔家大院文化园区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are: peak season (April 1 to October 31) 8:00-18:30, last entry at 17:30; off-season (November 1 to March 31 of the next year) 8:30-17:30, last entry at 16:30. The time for guided tours in the scenic area is the same as the opening hours. The opening hours may be extended on holidays, subject to the announcement of the scenic area.
Tour Routes
Half-day tour route: Enter from the south gate of the scenic area, first visit the main body of Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, and visit the Southeast Courtyard (folk custom exhibition), Southwest Courtyard (calligraphy and painting exhibition), ancestral hall, garden, Northwest Courtyard (Qiao family history exhibition), and Northeast Courtyard (treasure exhibition) in turn along the central axis. Focus on viewing the "Three Treasures of the Qiao Family" and "three carvings" art, which takes about 2 hours; then go to Shanxi Merchants Folk Custom Museum to learn about the development history of Shanxi merchants and participate in interactive experience projects, which takes about 1 hour; finally, buy souvenirs such as Taigu Cake in the scenic area's commercial street. The whole journey takes about 3.5 hours.
One-day tour route: Visit Qiaojia Grand Courtyard according to the half-day tour route in the morning, and taste Pingyao Beef, Youmian Kaolaolao and other foods in Qiaojiabao Village at noon; go to Pingyao Ancient City in the afternoon (about 40 kilometers from Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, 1 hour by car), visit Pingyao Ancient City Wall, Rishengchang Draft Bank, County Yamen and other attractions to feel the continuation of Shanxi merchant culture, and watch the "See Pingyao Again" live performance in the evening to enrich the cultural experience.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Taiyuan, take the Beijing-Kunming Expressway (G5) to Qi County exit, then turn to Provincial Highway 221 and drive about 10 kilometers to Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, with a total distance of about 80 kilometers and a driving time of 1.5 hours; starting from Pingyao Ancient City, drive about 40 kilometers along the Beijing-Kunming Expressway towards Taiyuan to Qi County exit, with a driving time of 50 minutes; the parking fee of the scenic area is 5 yuan per time (for small cars).
- Public transportation: Taiyuan Jiannan Bus Station has a bus to Qi County every 30 minutes, with a journey of 1.5 hours and a fare of 20 yuan per person. After arriving in Qi County, you can take a taxi (about 15 yuan) or a bus from Qi County to Dongguan Town (3 yuan) to reach the scenic area; Yuci Bus Station in Jinzhong Urban Area has direct buses to Qiaojia Grand Courtyard at 9:00 and 14:00 every day, with a journey of 1 hour and a fare of 15 yuan per person.
- Touristspecial line: Travel agencies in Taiyuan, Pingyao and other places have one-day tour routes to Qiaojia Grand Courtyard, including transportation, tickets and guide services, with prices ranging from 150 to 200 yuan per person. Some routes are connected with Pingyao Ancient City, suitable for multi-attraction tour needs.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Main Body of Qiaojia Grand Courtyard: With a total area of 4,175 square meters, 313 rooms, "double happiness" layout, exquisite "three carvings" art, and "Three Treasures of the Qiao Family" (Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon Mirror, Nine-Dragon Lamp, Thousand People Ball) as the treasures of the courtyard, it shows the peak level of northern residences in the Qing Dynasty.
- Shanxi Merchants Folk Custom Museum: With an 8,000-square-meter exhibition area and more than 30,000 cultural relics, it systematically displays the business history and folk culture of Shanxi merchants, with rich interactive experiences.
- Qiao Family Ancestral Hall: A 500-square-meter sacrificial place, with "Guang Qian Yu Hou" gate tower and "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" brick carvings, reflecting the patriarchal system and filial piety culture of the Shanxi merchant family.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to hire a scenic spot guide (50 yuan per time for less than 10 people) or rent an electronic guide (20 yuan per unit) to have a deeper understanding of architectural details and Shanxi merchants' stories. The guide time is about 1.5 hours.
- The best seasons to visit are April-May (when flowers are in full bloom in spring) and September-October (when the weather is clear and crisp in autumn). Pay attention to sun protection in summer. You can experience the winter atmosphere of northern residences in winter, with fewer tourists.
- Photography suggestions: Take panoramic photos of the courtyard when the light is soft in the early morning or evening, focusing on capturing the combination of brick-carved gate towers, red lanterns and architectural light and shadow. The filming location of "Raise the Red Lantern" (Northwest Courtyard) is a popular shooting spot.
- For dining, it is recommended to go to "Qiaojia Laochu" restaurant in Qiaojiabao Village, with an average consumption of about 60 yuan per person. You can taste Pingyao Beef, Guo You Rou (fried pork with sauce) and other Shanxi dishes, with a higher cost performance than restaurants in the scenic area.
- If you have enough time, it is recommended to visit Pingyao Ancient City and Wang Family Courtyard in a series to form a "Shanxi Merchants Culture Golden Triangle" tour, and fully feel the profound