Sala Courtyard

　　Through this attraction, visitors can gain a full understanding of the Sala people’s living conditions, diet, attire, and diverse folk customs. The old-style houses on display include many architectural remnants from the Ming, Qing, and Republic of China eras. The layout follows the traditional quadrangle courtyard style of northern China. The buildings are flat-roofed structures made of earth and wood, enclosed within thick earthen walls. The walls are square-shaped and compacted from rammed earth, with cross-sections tapering thinly at the top and thick at the bottom, reflecting Tibetan-inspired design.

　　　White stones are placed atop the four corners of the enclosing wall. Houses are built right next to the perimeter walls, leaving an open courtyard space in the center. The entire compound consists of wing rooms (north rooms), a kitchen, livestock pens, and a main gate. The wing rooms are the main structures, distinct from other buildings in terms of height, orientation, materials, structure, size, and function. They face south, are two bays deep with a corridor, and typically have three bays. These rooms are usually occupied by elders and are also used for hosting ceremonies, guests, and important events. The kitchen is built to the left or right of the wing rooms, while the livestock pen is generally near the main gate. The wooden framework of the buildings uses a post-and-lintel roof system, with columns supporting beams. Most doors are panel-style, and windows are wooden lattices. Interior walls are coated with a mixture of grass and mud. Furnishings inside include wooden beds, square tables, and hearth trays. Corners of the rooms may store wheat and farming tools, while the kang bed is covered with felt mats or straw mats. In the eastern Mengda area, located in a valley with limited flat land but abundant forests nearby, wood is readily available. Homes here are often built as two-story structures with earth, wood, and stone materials. Both floors feature corridors, and the upper level, enclosed by fence-like walls, serves as the main living and sleeping space, while the lower level is used for storage and livestock pens. The main gate is a single-panel wooden door with a square frame, secured with mortise-and-tenon joints in the stone and earth walls. It uses a unique "convex"-shaped wooden latch. When the Sala people first settled in Xunhua, their clothing still retained Central Asian influences. Men wore rolled-brim lambskin hats, mid-calf leather boots, “jiamo jackets,” and red sash belts. Women wore crimson silk headscarves. Over time, due to changes in the natural and cultural environment, the Sala people gradually adapted to local customs. Men typically wear loose short jackets or long robes with cloth belts—wealthier individuals opt for silk belts—and don black or white six-toothed hats or flat-topped round caps, paired with flat-soled cloth shoes. Elderly men often wear long robes and wrap their heads with a several-foot-long “dastar” during prayers. Younger men prefer white undershirts, red or embroidered sashes, and black vests.