Qiao Family Compound: A Jin Merchant Legacy in Stone

Qiao Family Compound: Introduction

The Qiao Family Compound is located in Qiaojiabao Village, Qi County, Shanxi Province. Also known as "Zai Zhong Tang," it was first built around 1755 during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. It was the residence of Qiao Zhiyong, a famous Shanxi merchant of the Qing era.

The compound is a fully enclosed castle-style architectural complex, bordered by streets on three sides. It covers an area of over 8,700 square meters and consists of 6 large courtyards, 19 smaller courtyards, and a total of 313 rooms. The entire layout forms the shape of the Chinese character "喜" (double happiness). With its gray bricks, dark tiles, ornate brackets, and exquisite brick, wood, and stone carvings, it is often said that "the Forbidden City has imperial palaces, but for folk residences, look to the Qiao Family Compound." It is hailed as "a brilliant pearl in the history of northern Chinese residential architecture."

What Visitors Love About It

What visitors appreciate most about the Qiao Family Compound is its exquisite architectural craftsmanship and the rich Jin merchant culture. Inside the courtyards, the brick-carved screen wall featuring the "Hundred Longevity Chart," the over 140 uniquely shaped chimneys, and the numerous couplets and plaques all reflect the Qiao family's philosophy of "conducting business and managing the family through Confucian values." Its fame skyrocketed after the filming of the movie Raise the Red Lantern and the TV series The Qiao Family Compound on location.

However, visitor experiences are quite mixed: the ticket price of 115 RMB is considered steep by some, who say the compound feels overly renovated with too few original artifacts. In 2019, the site was downgraded from 5A to 4A due to management issues (it was restored to 5A in October 2024). Still, hiring a human guide to hear the family's rise to wealth and their household rules makes the visit very worthwhile.

A Story: The Qiao Family's "Six Prohibitions"

How did the Qiao family go from grinding tofu on the "westward journey" (going to Inner Mongolia to seek fortune) to wealth that lasted five generations? Strict family rules played a key role.

Qiao Guifa, the founder of the Qiao family, started his business in Baotou. He witnessed the decline of the Qin family — his early business partners — due to loose family values and extravagance. Deeply moved, he established the famous "Six Prohibitions" family rule: No concubines, no gambling, no excessive drinking, no mistreating servants, no drug use, and no visiting brothels.

These six rules might seem simple, but few wealthy merchant families of the time could uphold them. The Qiao descendants, however, followed them faithfully for generations. Combined with their business creed of "honesty first, profit through righteousness," the Qiao family not only became enormously wealthy but also repeatedly donated silver for disaster relief, coastal defense, and wartime support — earning them the reputation of "righteous merchants." The Qiao family prospered for over 200 years, and their family rules deserve much of the credit。