(Wangjia Dayuan) Great Wang's Courtyard

Wang's Courtyard which located at Jingsheng Town of Shanxi Province is the great representative for the finest residential architecture of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). Besides being the largest and the best preserved architecture collections in Shangxi Province, it is also the largest residential architecture collections throughout China. Wang's Courtyard had been listed as the National Key Cultural Protection Units in year 2006.

The construction of this huge architecture courtyard had been started and continued throughout the years of Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Yongzheng, Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Jiajing. This huge architecture had covered an area of over 250 thousand square meters with 1,118 rooms throughout the 123 individual inner courtyards. Besides some architecture which is opened for public visit like Gaojiaya, Hongmenbao (Red Gate Castle) and Wangshi Zongci (Ancestral Hall of Wang's Family), some buildings of Wang's Courtyard have been renovated for the use of tourism purposed too, such as The Arts Museum of Chinese Residence and The Museum of Wang's Family.

Gaojiaya is famous for its architecture designs which look like a maze. You will always find there is another door after you enter one and seems like there is always an inner courtyard after you stepped into one another. On the other hand, if you take an aerial view of the Hongmenbao (Red Gate Castle), you will merely see and Chinese character "Wang". The whole architecture was made to signify the greatness of Wang's family. The whole architecture was designed according to the original topography which further increases its beauty in other way. Wang's Courtyard is a wonderful destination that worth for visit if you are interested to know more about the ancient Chinese architecture.