Qiao Family Grand Courtyard
The first generation of Qiao's family, Qiao Guifa, started business from a shoestring. He braved Xikou and beyond to arrive at Baotou in North China's Inner Mongolia, where he finally became a tycoon and monopolized Baotou's commerce. The 'golden age' for this family was under the instruction of Qiao Zhiyong who adopted the principles of being industrious, modest and generous. The family fortunes began to decline due to the large amount of money offered to the Qing Army and desecration by the Japanese army.
The Qiao Family Courtyard was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) in the Qing Dynasty, occupies 8,724.8 square meters of land, and consists of 6 large courtyards and 20 small courtyards with 313 houses in total. It was repaired and rebuilt many times during the reigns of emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty and the beginning years of the Republic of China (1911-1949). It was an old Chinese residential courtyard that thrived for over two centuries. When you look down at the complete courtyard from above, it looks just like"??"(double happiness in Chinese).
Entering through the gate of the courtyard, first, you will see an 80-meter-long straight stone pavement that divides 6 courtyards into a northern and southern row. There are slope protections between the pavements and nearby walls. The Qiao family's ancestral temple is at the end of the western side, which directly faces the gate. There are 4 main buildings and 6 other structures, such as a gate pavilion and the Geng and Tiao pavilions. The sidewalks on the roof of every yard are connected to allow for patrol. Viewed from outside, the residence is formal and grand, with long yards; viewed from inside, it is splendid and orderly, reflecting the residential style of big families in feudal society in North China. The courtyard's three sides face the street, while the courtyard itself is completely surrounded by a 10-meter-high sealed water-milled brick wall. Courtyards and houses are linked with other courtyards and houses while the sidewalks above row upon row of roofs - such as the Xuanshan, Xieshan, Yingshan, Juanpeng, and Horizon roofs - link up the battlements.
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