A visit to the Qiao Courtyard in Qiaojiabao Village near Taiyuan City, capital of Shanxi Province, will get you acquainted with the local customs and practices of the central Shanxi area during the late Qing Dynasty and the initial period of the Republic of China (1912-1949).
The courtyard, built during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reign periods of the Qing Dynasty, includes six large compounds, 20 small ones, and 313 rooms, with a total area of over 8,700 sq m. The imposing buildings are compactly distributed and exquisitely structured.
The decorations and material objects are displayed to introduce the time sequqtae, climate and other natural phenomena of the seasons, sacrificial rites, wedding and funeral rites, and life styles during the period. In addition, on display are wooden objects, clothes and ornaments, ceramic wares, calligraphic works and paintings, and handicrafts, bringing to life the local customs and practices of north China.