Qiao Family Compound

The Qiao Family Compound, originally the Zaizhong Hall and officially Qiao's Grand Courtyard, stands at Qiaojia Bao village in Qi County, Jinzhong. It is the residence of Qiao Zhiyong, the most famous of the Qiao family, whose money came from trade. Work began in 1756 under the Qianlong Emperor and was finished within the eighteenth century, and the estate covers 9,000 square metres: 313 rooms within 6 large courtyards and 19 smaller ones. In 1985 the local government built the Qixian Folk Museum on the old house; in 2001 the compound was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level and rated a 5A tourist attraction.