Page 18 - JCAU-4-1

Pingyao Historic City and Qiao Family Courtyard Zhang

opposite side of the gate is a screen wall of Fortune, Emolument, and Longevity” (福禄
100 seal characters, resembling a hundred 寿). After passing through the hallway, one
things related to longevity, such as yin yang, enters the three-rise courtyard, whose main
bagua, wind, rain, thunder, lightning, among hall sits north and faces south, high and solid,
others. There is also the pattern of Swastika with four large characters suggesting: “Being
engraved all around the screen wall, Kind Is Happiest” (为善最乐). From the third
suggesting longevity without boundaries. On courtyard, one enters the small side-yard, and
both sides of the screen wall is a seal couplet then to the private school.
gifted from the Qing-dynasty Minister Zuo The northwest of the Qiao Family
Zongtang ( 左 宗 棠 ) that says: “To curb Compound was built by Qiao Zhiyong in the
people’s desires to restore the principles of Guangxu (光绪,1871‒1908) era. The three
nature, and to build morals to be able to Chinese characters “In the Middle Hall” (在
write.” 11 The top board recommends:
“Practicing the Way of Neutralization” (履 中堂) [Figure 17] are written on the door head.
Here again, it reflects Confucian Doctrine of
和), indicating that the Qiao Family as a great the Mean to be impartial. This three-rise
merchant had upheld Confucian Doctrine of courtyard is the most magnificent in Qiao
the Mean. The gate was inlaid with another Family Compound, with festive red lanterns
couplet: “If the sons and grandsons are all over it [Figure 18]. At the end of the alley,
virtuous, the clan will be large; and if the one can see the Ancestral Hall that is only 10
brothers are harmonious, the family will be sqm. According to the local customs, the size
12
prosperous.” As Qiao Zhiyong (乔致庸) of the Ancestral Hall should be compliant
donated a warship to the Beiyang Navy in his with the rank of the official in the family.
later years, Li Hongzhang (李鸿章) endowed Because the Qiao Family did not produce any
this couplet to him as a reward [3, 16] . high official, their Ancestral Hall is naturally
Upon entering the gate, a stone passage a little humble.
of 80 m long and 7 m wide divides the
compound into two rows of north and south,
with six large courtyards, three on each side
[Figure 15]. From the north, there are the
Northeast/Old Courtyard (老院), Northwest
Courtyard (西北院), and the Study Courtyard
( 书 房 院 ). From the south, there are the
Southeast Courtyard ( 东 南 院 ), Southwest
Courtyard (西南院), and the New Courtyard
(新院). The dwelling roofs are connected by
a walkway, convenient for patrolling and
safeguarding the compound at night [16] .
The oldest part of Qiao Family
Compound is in the northeast, with a series of
five yards of three rises built in the 20th year
of Qianlong (乾隆) (1755). On the door head,
it is written: “Don’t Be Disrespectful” (勿不
敬 ) [Figure 16], admonishing people to
respect the elderly. Carved under the door Figure 15. Passage dividing the Qiao Family
head are three stars that represent “Good Compound into north and south. Source: Photo by the
author, 2017

11 “损人欲以复天理，蓄道德而能文章。”
12 “子孙贤，族将大；兄弟睦，家之肥。”

AccScience Publishing 12