[2025 Qi County Attraction] Travel Guide for Compound of Family Qu (Updated Apr)

Light Snow ❄️ | Time to look forward to the ultimate romantic Shanxi snow this season ❄ Light Snow Solar Term As the last autumn leaves 🍂 slowly fall Winter in Shanxi has quietly arrived ⛄️ This is the most peaceful and poetic time of the year A snowfall freezes the world Cleanses the heart and leaves a pure soul! Can't wait to look forward to the ultimate romantic Shanxi snow this season! · ——𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍——— 1️⃣.2️⃣.6️⃣ Pingyao Ancient City 3️⃣.1️⃣6️⃣ Taiyuan Ancient County 4️⃣. Taiyuan Twin Pagodas 5️⃣. Dai County Yanmen Pass 7️⃣.1️⃣5️⃣ Taiyuan Taishan Longquan Temple 8️⃣. Taiyuan Jinci Temple 9️⃣. Dai County Bianjing Tower 🔟. Qixian Qu Family Courtyard 1️⃣1️⃣. Guangwu Ming Great Wall 1️⃣2️⃣. Qixian Zhenhe Tower 1️⃣3️⃣. Taigu Wubian Temple White Pagoda 1️⃣4️⃣. Taigu Old Town 1️⃣7️⃣. Guoyang Confucian Temple 1️⃣8️⃣. Yuci Chang Family Manor

Zhao Yu Ancient City is located at No. 26, East Street, Qixian County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. It was built during the Taihe period of the Northern Wei Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,500 years. It is the famous hometown of Jin merchants and the birthplace of Jin merchant culture and the Tea Road. The ancient city is centered on the cross street, and the buildings on the old street maintain the architectural style of the workshops and houses in Jinzhong since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and is known as the "Living Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival". The old sites of tea houses, banks, and cloth houses are still intact in Zhao Yu Ancient City, silently telling the brilliant stories of international trade in tea, exchange, and goods.

When mentioning Qixian in Jinzhong, most people think of the Qiao Family Courtyard. However, this treasure town has a deeper historical heritage beyond the Jin merchant culture. Qixian Ancient City, also known as Zhaoyu Ancient City, derives its name from the Spring and Autumn period when Zhaoyuzi of the Jin State built a city here, hence the name Zhaoyu. The history of the ancient city can be traced back to the 7th century BC. It has undergone multiple dynastic changes, preserving a large number of historical relics and cultural heritage, making it a precious example of ancient Chinese urban planning and architectural art. The existing ancient buildings in the city reflect the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The most famous building in the ancient city is the Qu Family Courtyard, built during the Qing Dynasty. It is a typical representative of Jin merchant culture. Although it is not as famous or large as the Qiao Family Courtyard, it was also a wealthy merchant's residence at that time. The main commercial street retains the layout of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The shops and residences on both sides of the street have not undergone commercial development and still maintain their ancient charm. 📍Scenic Address: Qixian Ancient City, Jinzhong, Shanxi 🏝️Reservation Guide: The ancient city does not charge an entrance fee and does not require a reservation. The visit duration is 30-60 minutes. 🎫 The Qu Family Courtyard and the Tea Horse Ancient Road Museum require a scenic area pass and are open periodically. 🚗Transportation Guide: After getting off at Qixian East Station by high-speed rail, you can take bus routes 6 or 4 to reach the destination directly. However, bus services are infrequent, so it is recommended to take a taxi. There are no ride-hailing services locally, only taxis and tricycles. The taxi fare is about 20 yuan. 💗Other Tips: 🍜 There are only a few small shops run by local residents in the ancient city. If you need to dine, you can go to the mall outside the south gate, which has chain fast food restaurants such as KFC, Luckin Coffee, Dicos, and Mixue Bingcheng.

New things have their own advantages, and old things have their own beauty. Those bricks, houses, cups, and food boxes from ancient times that have fortunately been preserved to this day, and we are fortunate to still be able to see, feel, and appreciate them, exude a unique charm that stands the test of time. They are loved by you, them, and us who come here with admiration. The Jin merchants, renowned worldwide for their business acumen, not only had unique business practices but also built distinctive Jin merchant courtyards and ancient cities, such as Wang Family Courtyard, Qiao Family Courtyard, and Pingyao Ancient City. Within the high-walled courtyards of gray bricks and tiles, there are exquisitely carved screen walls, winding alleys, and picturesque gardens... The ingenious craftsmanship will whet your appetite and then leave you pleasantly surprised and enlightened. This is the beauty of northern courtyards: subtle and silent, refreshing and unforgettable. For example, the Zhaoyu Ancient City before us, which was first built during the Taihe period of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, has a history of more than 1,500 years. It flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties due to the prosperity of tea merchants, forming a trend of "living in the countryside, setting up shops in Zhaoyu, and trading with the world." The Zhaoyu Ancient City is rectangular, with a missing corner in the southeast direction, resembling the gauze cap worn by ancient officials, hence the name "Gauze Cap City." The entire city layout centers around a crossroad, with four main streets running vertically and horizontally, south to north, and east to west, supplemented by twenty-eight streets and alleys crisscrossing the city. Honors received: In January 1994, it was approved by the State Council as a National Historical and Cultural City. In 2011, "Qixian Jin Merchant Old Street" was rated as "China's Historical and Cultural Street." In December 2015, the Chinese Commercial History Society awarded Qixian the title of "Capital of Tea Merchants on the Tea Road." In March 2019, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage included the "Tea Road" in the "China World Cultural Heritage Tentative List." At the same time, 13 tea merchant sites in Qixian were also included in the "China World Cultural Heritage Tentative List." Encounter the beautiful northern courtyards, savor the emotions brewed by time, and witness the brilliance of China through the vicissitudes of wind and snow. This is Qixian, Zhaoyu Ancient City. 📍TIPS: 📌Location: Just search for Zhaoyu Ancient City in the navigation. (Qu Family Courtyard is within Zhaoyu Ancient City, with an additional charge for the courtyard). 💰Tickets: Free 🅿️Parking: You can park for free in the parking spaces marked on both sides of the road at the main entrance of Zhaoyu Ancient City. ⏰️Duration: 1-2 hours 💚Currently open attractions: 🔺Zhaoyu Ancient City. Since Zhaoyu Ancient City is still under continuous renovation, the attractions within the ancient city are partially open: 🔺Qu Family Courtyard (Jin Merchant Culture Museum) 🔺Changyu Tea House (Tea Road Museum) 🔺Former Residence of Qu Benqiao Additionally, throughout Zhaoyu Ancient City, you can see ancient Ming and Qing buildings everywhere. Friends interested in historical buildings might as well come and see its legacy. 🩵Nearby attractions: The most famous attraction in Qixian is undoubtedly the Qiao Family Courtyard. This Jin merchant residence records the glorious history of the Qiao family and is renowned both domestically and internationally with the saying "See the Forbidden City for royal palaces, see the Qiao Family for civilian residences." It is an unparalleled art treasure worth seeing. Qu Family Courtyard - Qiao Family Courtyard, a 22-minute drive, can be visited in one day.

The Qu Family Courtyard, located on Dongda Street in Qixian, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, was originally built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and has been renovated multiple times. The existing main structures are from the Tongzhi and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty. Back then, the Qu family built 40 courtyards within the city of Qixian. Most of the residences along Dongda Street, Xindao Street, Gaoyuan Gedi, and Duanjia Alley in the eastern half of the ancient city of Qixian belonged to the Qu family. The existing Qu Family Courtyard is only a part of the historical buildings of the Qu family. It was the residence of Qu Yuanchao and Qu Yuangan, covering an area of 5,317 square meters with a construction area of 13,271 square meters. Viewed from above, the Qu Family Courtyard resembles the shape of the character '明'. The 'moon' part on the right forms the five-section courtyard on the east side, the residential courtyard, the opera stage courtyard, and the sedan chair courtyard, while the 'sun' part on the left consists of three quadrangle courtyards and the study courtyard along the western corridor. The entire complex is composed of 8 large courtyards, 19 smaller courtyards, and 240 rooms, with the main courtyard built like a castle. The composition of the Qu Family Courtyard is rich, with clever combinations of railing courtyards, bright tower courtyards, unified tower courtyards, opera stage courtyards, etc., arranged in a well-ordered manner. The rooftops have various shapes, including hip-and-gable roofs, suspended roofs, rolled eaves roofs, and hard roofs. There are tall arched gateways with exquisite watchtowers above. Between the courtyards, there are archways and passageways, with bright towers and unified towers creating a rich transitional spatial form. The Qu Family Courtyard is a microcosm of the entire Jin merchant culture. It preserves a large amount of folk, historical, and artistic information, reflecting profound cultural characteristics and containing deep and complex cultural accumulations. For tourists, the ticket for the Qiao Family Courtyard is 115 yuan, and it's overcrowded; the ticket for the three courtyards of the Qu Family Courtyard is only 16 yuan, and it's basically empty, offering an excellent tourism experience.