Traditional houses of common people are an important constituent of Pingyao. Presently there are 3,797 such houses, of which over 400 are preserved intact. The traditional houses in Pingyao are mostly that of Ming and Qing Dynasty, namely quadrangles of two or three courtyards. They usually have a main gate, then a screen wall, main rooms and wing rooms. With the features of considerate layout, symmetric arrangement on a clear axis, strict distinction between the principal and the subordinate, decorations of exquisite carvings of wood, brick, and stone. A particularly unique feature of them is that the main rooms are brick laid as an arch. Moreover, the screen wall or the geomancy tower of the houses have a typical style of its own.
Old House of Ji Family located on St Zhanmadao is the elite of traditional house in Pingyao. The Ji’s was a noble family of Pingyao, and the present resident in the old house is the 22nd grandson descendants of the family. The house was first built in Yuan Dynasty. Talents were invited for its design in line with Five Elements and Trigrams and in the shape of “carps jumping over the dragon gate”. The descendants perfected it now and then, and different styles of Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties are recognizable in the present house.
