Qu Family Compound
The Qu family, who built Qu Family Compound, were prominent merchants of central Shanxi, famous nationwide since the Ming and Qing dynasties.…
Qu Family Compound, Pingyao · Yumeto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Admission
- ¥40
- Opening hours
- 8：30—18：30
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Getting there
- There are many trains and long-distance buses from Pingyao to Qixian. From Qixian Railway Station, head straight on and follow the signs, which lead the way. It takes about 20 minutes on foot from the station.
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 1820. Open in Google Maps
About Qu Family Compound
The Qu family, who built Qu Family Compound, were prominent merchants of central Shanxi, famous nationwide since the Ming and Qing dynasties. They had more than a dozen courtyards and over a thousand rooms in Qixian town, earning them the nickname 'Qu Half-City'. Every architectural element of Qu Family Compound is a rare work of art. Architects have praised it as embodying the styles of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties and combining the best of Jiangnan and Hebei.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Qu Family Compound cost?
Admission to Qu Family Compound is ¥40, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
What are the opening hours of Qu Family Compound?
Qu Family Compound is open 8：30—18：30.
How do I get to Qu Family Compound?
There are many trains and long-distance buses from Pingyao to Qixian. From Qixian Railway Station, head straight on and follow the signs, which lead the way. It takes about 20 minutes on foot from the station.
How long should I spend at Qu Family Compound?
Plan on 1–3 hours for Qu Family Compound.
Where is Qu Family Compound?
Qu Family Compound is in Pingyao, Shanxi Province, in the North China of China.
More places in Pingyao
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Wang Family Compound
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Pingyao Ancient City Wall
The Pingyao Ancient City Wall is one of the few complete ancient county-level city walls still standing in China. The earliest rammed-earth walls are said to have been built by Yin Jifu, a great general of the Western Zhou dynasty. During the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, the wall was expanded on the old foundation into the brick-and-stone structure seen today. The city’s overall layout is shaped like a tortoise, giving rise to the saying “the tortoise plays in the water, mountains face the sun,” which is why Pingyao is also commonly called “Tortoise City.” The old town has six gates, each with its own symbolism: the South Gate is the tortoise’s head, facing the Zhongdu River; outside the city there were originally two wells, likened to the tortoise’s eyes; the North Gate is the tortoise’s tail and the lowest point of the town, so all the city’s rainwater drains out through it; the four gates and barbicans in the east and west are like the tortoise’s paws stretched forward. Only the outer gate of the barbican at the East Lower Gate opens straight to the east. Legend has it that the builders feared the tortoise would crawl away, so they straightened its left leg and tied it to the Lutai Pagoda in Cisi Temple outside the city. The city wall is said to have 3,000 crenellations and 72 small watchtowers, symbolizing Confucius’s 3,000 disciples and 72 sages, so that this bustling commercial city would never lack literary refinement.
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