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Pingyao Historic City and Qiao Family Courtyard Zhang

Figure 18. The northwest three-rise courtyard is the
most magnificent in Qiao Family Compound, with
festive red lanterns all over it. Source: Photo by the
author, 2017

The southwest New Courtyard was the
last built by Qiao Zhiyong’s grandchildren
after they returned from studying in Europe
and the United States. The door head is

written with the three characters: “Learning to
Figure 16. The northeast is the oldest part of Qiao
Family Courtyard, on the door head, it is written: Suffer Losses” (学吃亏). Qiao Zhiyong lived
“Don’t Be Disrespectful” ( 勿 不 敬 ), admonishing at a time of social turbulence. After the Boxer
people to respect the elderly. Source: Photo by the Rebellion (1899‒1901) erupted, he felt that he
author, 2017 could not rely on the government to do
business. He bought four yards which
happened to be at a crossroad of the town, and
made them as an enclosed compound for his
private residence. Due to the large sum of
silver spent, one corner of the compound
could not be built and became the so-called
“garden” [Figure 19]. Thereafter, Qiao
Family Compound became a closed fortress
and the specific affairs were completed by his
grandson Qiao Yingxia (乔映霞). Although it
is not the largest compound among Shanxi
shangren’s homes, it is the first and only
national cultural relic protection unit of them
that has been preserved today because it has
maintained the original structure. Qiao
Family Compound became famous after
Zhang Yimou’s (张艺谋) 1991 film “Raise
the Red Lantern” (《大红灯笼高高挂》)
that was shot here, however the story was

Figure 17. The northwest of Qiao Family Courtyard unrelated to the Qiao Family. Hu Mei’s (胡玫)
with three characters “In the Middle Hall” (在中堂) 45-episode 2006 TV series “Qiao’s Grand
written on the door head, reflecting Confucian Courtyard” (《乔家大院》) is based on the
Doctrine of the Mean to be impartial. Source: Photo by
the author, 2017 business history of Qiao Zhiyong. The
character Qiao Zhiyong was played by Chen

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