Courtyard at No. 153 Di’anmen West Street

Courtyard at No. 153 Di’anmen West Street

The courtyard at No. 153 Di’anmen West Street is a municipal cultural heritage protection unit in Beijing.

The courtyard at No. 153 Di’anmen West Street is located at No. 153 Di’anmen West Street, Xicheng District, and is listed as one of Beijing’s Seventh Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Protection Units.

It was originally a typical Qing Dynasty building, composed of a five-courtyard compound, and served as the residence of warlord Xu Shixiang during the Republican period. The grand entrance gate is accompanied by an octagonal screen wall. The first courtyard preserves structures such as the gatehouse and reverse-facing rooms, while the other courtyards consist of main houses, wing rooms on the east and west sides, and more, all interconnected by covered walkways, zigzag corridors, and verandas. The courtyard houses multiple stone carvings, most of which are relics from the Old Summer Palace. The buildings in the second and third courtyards are relatively well-preserved. The front section of the compound retains a largely intact layout with well-maintained architecture, making it a representative example for studying Beijing’s traditional courtyard houses.

Source: Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage

Further reading:

· Beijing’s Seventh Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Protection Units