Yan Family Courtyard in Xizhou

Yan Family Courtyard in Xizhou

Also known as Yan Family Baocheng Mansion, Yan Family Courtyard is located in Xizhou Town, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Xizhou is an important town inhabited by the Bai ethnic group, home to the most numerous and best-preserved Bai-style residential architecture complexes. Yan Family Courtyard is one of the best-preserved examples.

Yan Family Courtyard in Dali

The Yan Family Courtyard was built in 1919 by Yan Zizhen, a prominent local ethnic capitalist from Xizhou. Covering an area of approximately 2,478 square meters with a built-up area of 3,066 square meters, it consists of two “Four-Square-with-Five-Courtyards” complexes extending from north to south, and one “Three-Sections-and-One-Screen-Wall” courtyard. It also incorporates various layout styles such as One-Direction-One-Section, One-Direction-Two-Sections, Two-Directions-Three-Sections, Five Blessings and Longevity, and Six Harmonies in Spring. The courtyards are interconnected via a “horse-riding corner tower,” with corridors on both the upper and lower floors linking all the rooms.

The entire residence is paved with square marble slabs. In 1938, a modern Western-style villa was constructed in the southeast corner of the courtyard. It features a brick-wall structure with an open top, a basement, balconies, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and is surrounded by lush plants, offering a tranquil environment.

Inside Yan Family Courtyard, there is a small performance hall with about 200 seats, primarily used for San Dao Cha (Three-Course Tea) performances, along with other traditional cultural shows. The Bai people are known for their courtesy and hospitality, and they serve guests the “Three-Course Tea,” a refined etiquette ritual. The first course uses coarse, bitter tea leaves roasted in a small earthen pot over low heat and then poured over boiling water. Though fragrant, the tea is quite bitter—hence called the “Tea of Bitterness.” The second course adds brown sugar, dairy fan (a Bai dairy product), walnut kernels, and sesame seeds, resulting in a sweet and delicious brew known as the “Tea of Sweetness.” The third course blends honey with 4 to 6 Sichuan peppercorns, creating a taste that is sweet with bitterness, bitterness with sweetness, and a hint of numbing spice—this is the “Tea of Reflection.” Together, they represent “bitterness, sweetness, and aftertaste,” symbolizing the journey and truths of life. The ritual of the Three-Course Tea allows one to experience the full spectrum of life’s experiences—“No bitterness, no sweetness; only through hardship can one rise above.”

Yan Family Courtyard represents a higher-standard model of Bai residential architecture, richly symbolic of local customs and uniquely characterized by its rustic charm and natural harmony.

Address: Near Sifang Street, Xizhou Ancient Town, Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture

Type: Museum / Historical Building

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:00

Ticket

Ticket: 30 RMB

Xizhou Town: Located at the northern end of Dali City, Xizhou Town is 32 kilometers from Xiaguan, the seat of Dali Prefecture and Municipal Government. It is the hometown of the movie “Five Golden Flowers” and one of Yunnan Province’s famous historical and cultural towns, as well as a key hometown of overseas Chinese. The town covers a total area of 161 square kilometers and governs 13 village committees. In 2004, the town’s total economic income was 1.47536 billion yuan, fiscal revenue was 9.43 million yuan, per capita income was 3,853 yuan, and the total population was 63,275, of which 85% are of the Bai ethnic group. It is a predominantly Bai-established town.

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