Qiaojiabao Village

Qiaojiabao Village

It is a small village, yet grand and majestic, home to the Qiao Family Courtyard, renowned as a “World Famous Residence”; it is a small village, yet rich in talent, having produced Qiao Zhiyong, a Confucian merchant magnate known as “Bright Landlord.”

Qiaojiabao Village is situated in the beautiful and fertile central part of the Jinzhong Basin in Shanxi Province, on the east bank of the Fen River and at the northern foot of the Taihang Mountains. It belongs to Qi County, which is honored as a “Famous Historical and Cultural City of China.” The village enjoys convenient transportation, being 12 kilometers from Qi County’s county seat and 50 kilometers from the provincial capital, Taiyuan. It is a village rich in produce and strong in local flavor. The villagers are simple and honest, and the folk culture is vibrant. The local Folk Museum displays over 5,000 precious cultural relics, reflecting the customs and traditions mainly of the Jinzhong area in Shanxi. The museum also features special exhibits on Qiao family history, Qiao family treasures, and film and television. The Shehuo (folk performance) activities held annually at the Qiao Family Courtyard from the 28th of the 12th lunar month to the 18th of the 1st lunar month are a traditional local event, embodying wishes for joy, good fortune, and blessings.

The traditional peach wood craft has a long history in Qiaojiabao Village. The themes of peach wood crafts are derived from traditional culture, creating a form of carving art where graphics and auspicious meanings are perfectly combined, making it a beautiful highlight in the development of local tourism.

The Qiao Family Courtyard is the main ancient architectural complex in Qiaojiabao Village, also known as “Zhongzai Hall.” It was first built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty and served as the residence of Qiao Zhiyong, a famous commercial and financial capitalist of the Qing era. It is one of the most well-preserved residential buildings of the Qing Dynasty in northern China and has been praised by experts and scholars as “a shining pearl in the history of northern residential architecture.” The popularity of the TV dramas “Raise the Red Lantern” and “Qiao’s Grand Courtyard” has made the Qiao Family Courtyard famous throughout Shanxi and renowned both at home and abroad.

Relying on the culturally rich Qiao Family Courtyard, Qiaojiabao Village has vigorously developed tourism-related industries, expanding and strengthening the tourism sector. The construction of the “Shanxi Culture Park” has enabled Qiaojiabao Village to transition from a single attraction to a comprehensive tourist destination. The village is also working to integrate with nearby famous attractions such as the Chinese Zhouyi Palace, Yanshou Temple, Jiugou Scenic Area, Qu Family Courtyard, Ming-Qing Streets, and Changyuchuan, forming a one-day tour route. Together, they are creating a popular Shanxi merchants-themed tourism circuit, establishing a leading specialty tourism industry that combines travel and leisure.

At the same time, Qiaojiabao Village is accelerating the construction of a new countryside, achieving commendable results in infrastructure, village-town development, and cultural advancement. The construction of high-standard pastoral agricultural parks, high-standard middle schools, and centralized heating energy-saving residential communities has brought a brand-new look to the village.

Today, Qiaojiabao Village enjoys harmonious and civilized village life, with villagers living stable and prosperous lives, steadily advancing toward becoming a historic and cultural village known for its tourism characteristics and thriving tertiary industry.

In this land of Qiaojiabao, there was the glory of Qiao Zhiyong in the past, and today there are new miracles created by the people of Qiaojiabao. This uniquely regional and folkloric tourism village allows every visitor to experience its distinctive charm.

Scenic Area Address: Qiaojiabao Village, Dongguan Town, Qi County, 64 kilometers southwest of Taiyuan City

Qiaojiabao Community: Qiaojiabao Village currently has 634 farming households, with a total population of 1,775 and cultivated land area of 3,119 mu. It is the site of the Qiao Family Courtyard. Relying on this famous attraction, the village has vigorously developed tourism-related industries, generating over 20 million yuan in tourism revenue for the entire village.

In the early years of the Xianfeng reign, Qiao Zhiyong, the young master of the Qiao family from Qiaojiabao in Shanxi, bid farewell to his seriously ill elder brother Qiao Zhiguang and set off with his childhood sweetheart Jiang Xueying to take the imperial examinations in Taiyuan Prefecture. In Taiyuan, he met Sun Maocai, a poor scholar who sold peanuts, and helped Lu Yuhuan, the daughter of the wealthy Shanxi merchant Lu family, out of a difficult situation...

… Detailed information about the Qiaojiabao Community ++