The Xie Family Courtyard

The Xie Family Courtyard

The Xie Family Courtyard was built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It consists of eighteen courtyards with nearly three hundred rooms in total. Its uniqueness lies in its own defensive system. The architectural features of the entire complex are: adapting to the terrain, changing with the shape of the land, featuring layered buildings and courtyards, arranged in an orderly yet staggered fashion, simple and solemn in style, as well as solid and sturdy in structure. It is distinctly different from other large courtyards in central Shanxi—all are two-story brick-and-wood structures, and all eighteen courtyards are interconnected with excellent defensive capabilities. The layout is carefully designed and staggered, with connecting passageways in the second-floor rooms that allow access to any courtyard at will.

The quadrangle courtyards and chessboard-style compounds with blue bricks and grey tiles stand in close succession. Every house connects vertically, every household links to the next, and every courtyard is interconnected. Even more perplexing are the eight alleys, eight city gates (circular structures), and eight T-junction streets—navigating through the rooms or streets can feel like wandering lost in a maze. In such a fortress-like ancient complex, whether facing positional warfare, defensive battles, ambushes, or urban defense, any invading force could be dealt a devastating blow.

The nineteen ancient courtyard complexes in the village naturally form a defensive network system. The overall layout of the village closely resembles fortifications designed for information warfare, tunnel warfare, and urban defense. Observation posts and lookout holes allow for both offensive advances and defensive retreats—capable of fighting and hiding, supporting one another, with smooth communication and seamless information transfer. In emergencies, one can quickly evacuate or relocate through tunnels, inside houses, rooftops, or streets that resemble mazes, forming an impregnable defensive stronghold. At the same time, each courtyard reflects traditional ethical concepts of distinguishing between inside and outside, and maintaining order among generations. With layered buildings and courtyards arranged in a staggered fashion, it combines the unique architectural styles of ancient traditional residences, temple ancestral halls, academies, and defensive structures—an exceptional sight in Shanxi and even across China. Especially notable is the main hall of the outer wing courtyard of the “Xie Family Courtyard,” which externally features four pillars supporting flying eaves and internally has four pillars holding up six beams. But what’s lesser known is its underground secret defensive bunker—integrating above-ground and below-ground urban defenses, making it a veritable command center for battle. This unique architectural form is truly rare among surviving ancient structures in China.