Shanxi Businessmen’s Courtyard Houses

Qiao's Courtyard Houses, Qi County, N37 4 19.6 E112 5 44.7;

Qu's Courtyard Houses, Qi County, N37 21 E112 18;

Wang's Courtyard Houses, Lingshi County, N36 55 3 E110 30 15;

Cao's Courtyard Houses, Taigu County, N37 23 26 E112 30 23.

Shanxi Businessmen's Courtyard Houses are located in Jinzhong city, Shanxi province, about 500 km south of Beijing, and regarded as outstanding examples of civilian residence building, when Chi-nese merchant capital grew rapidly in Ching dynasty.

Qiao family masion was first built in Qianlong period, Qhing dynasty, and located in Qiao Jiabao Village of Qi County, covering an area of 10642 square meters with 4175 square meters of building area. It consists of 6 big courtyards with 20 sub-courtyards. The total 313 rooms form a closed castle-like complex which looks like the traditional Chinese pattern of "double-happiness" from a bird's eye view. Qu Family Mansion is in Qi County seat, was first built since Qianlong period of Ching dynasty, and covers an area of 7356 square meters with 4398 square meters building area. It consists of Qu Family House and Qhangyu Teahouse. Qu Family House is also a castle-like building which includes 8 big courtyards with 19 sub-courtyards and 240 rooms. However, all the symmetric courtyards array in an asymmetric way. Changyu Teahouse is a commercial multi-suite quadrangle with 4 courtyards and 92 rooms. Wang Family Mansion is in Jingsheng town, Lingshi County and was first built since Wanli period of Ming dynasty, however the buildings left now are mostly built after Kangxi period of Qhing dynasty. The whole complex has 23 courtyards and 1118 rooms, covering an area of 45000 square meters with 32000 building area. One bridge links the eastern part Gao Jiaya and western part Hong Menbao. Gao Jiaya complex has a quadrangle layout that a hall in front and family houses at the rear. Hong Menbao complex is built along the mountain with a layout of Chinese character "Wang (also king)". Cao Family Mansion is Located in the north of Beiwang village, Taigu County, occupies an area of 10600 square meters and 6384 square meters in building area, and includes buildings of Ming and Qhing dynasties and Republic of China. 15 yards, 3 inverted-base towers, 3 halls, 3 multi-story buildings and 277 rooms in total compose a three-building, two-step quadrangle and a two-step inter-link quadrangle, forming a layout of Chinese character "long life". 

Shanxi Merchants' Mansions are smartly designed, delicately carved and built with fine materials, boasting for profoundness and magnificence. Their architecture inherited and developed the Chinese traditional courtyard style of "hall in front, houses at the rear", but broke the traditional style of civil house that "five inside, three outside separated by gate tower and surrounded by short walls", creating a castle layout of "five inside, five outside separated by passage hall". More importantly, the fact that Shanxi Merchants' Mansions incorporated Fengshui theory, ethic, morality, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism cultures and aesthetics into their architecture, not only made it an invaluable heritage of China but also testified the 500-year history of Shanxi Merchants' ups and downs.

Satements of authenticity and/or integrity

Shanxi Businessmen's Courtyard Houses are built in Qhing dynasty with Chinese traditional architecture and construction technology. From designing to construction are done in Ming and Qhing dynasties. Buildings' shapes are of typical style of Qhing dynasty. The building materials are carefully selected with certain standards. Buildings for owner and servant are differentiated by materials, standards and even roofs. An important issue is that buildings and yards of different use are decorated with different stuffs, such as golden painting, brick carving, wood carving and stone carving. Shanxi Merchants' Mansions are residences or shops that Shanxi's big merchants built in their own villages or towns. Such a huge and complete architecture system makes these mansions an important factor to the continuity of the local traditional culture.

Shanxi Merchants' Mansions are scientifically constructed in large scale and clearly divided by all-around functions. Well preserved corridor, castle-like wall, orderly arrayed buildings and smartly designed complex layout all exhibit Shanxi merchants' elaborate and careful thought in architecture. In addition, a variety of meaningful and vivid carving works have been preserved in good condition and reveal the education, knowledge and aesthetics of their owner. They are rare fine civil residences in north China. In recent years, along with the developing of economy, more and more constructions are harming the environment around Shanxi Merchants' Mansions. And the local government is making protection plans.

Comparison with other similar properties

China Huizhou civil residences are delicate and small. Shanxi Merchants' Mansions have thick walls and various roofs. They are closed from the outside but open inside. Beijing's quadrangle is smaller in scale and has less decoration. The roof and yard wall are also shorter, while Shanxi Merchants' Mansions are castle-like buildings that look magnificent distantly and exquisite closely.