A true rags to riches story, Qiao Guifa was very poor and an orphan during his childhood. As a teenager, he traveled to Baotou to attempt multiple ventures. He ran several types of businesses including pawnshops and grain shops but eventually made a living as a servant during Emperor Qianlong (1711 - 1799) reign in the Qing Dynasty. Qiao Guifa and business partner, Qin started selling fodder, bean sprout and bean curd. Several years later, they had become very wealthy. The Qiao’s family enjoyed the peak of success while under Qiao Zhiyong who followed the principles of being industrious, modest and generous.
The first portion of the compound was built in 1756. There would be later renovations and additions to the compound. The compound is located in Qiao Town in the Qi Xian County within Shanxi Province. The area covers about 2 acres with the construction filling almost 4,000 sq meters. There are six main courtyards, twenty small courtyards and 313 rooms. The compound was built for family safety and against aggressive business related competition. The walls surrounding are about 11 meters.
The compound was so large and magnificent that people were astonished by the wealth of the Qiao family. Yet, the compounds value only consisted of less than one percent of the total Qiao fortune. The compound gained most of the recognition for its large scale but also received accolades for the exquisite craftsmanship reflected in the brick carving, woodcarving and murals.
The craftsmanship is accompanied by many tablets within the compound. Two particular tablets are the most valuable. The ‘ren zhou yi fu’ displays the handwriting of Li Hongzhang (1832-1901). He was a famous general during the Qing Dynasty. Qiao Family had donated large amounts of money to the Qing army. The second tablet ‘fu zhong lang huan’ was bestowed to the Qiao Family by verbal instruction from Empress Dowager Cixi (1836-1908). Qiao Family had donated money to pay for her escape from Beijing.
In 1991, the Qiao Compound became international renowned as a result of Zhang Yimou movie “Raise the Red Lantern” starring Gong Li. The mansion was used as the backdrop for the live of the fourth wife ‘concubine’ of a wealthy man during the 1920’s.
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