The Chang Family Mansion covers an area of 600,000 square meters, It is a representative Shanxi merchant residence.  You might visit it when you drive from Taiyuan to Pingyao.

Construction of the Chang family mansion began in the late Ming Dynasty. In 1770, during Qing Emperor Qianlong's reign, large-scale construction was carried out.

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The 6th-generation descendants of the Chang family began trading in the late Ming Dynasty.  The Chang family advocated honesty in all its commercial activities, and adhered to the tenet "quality and reputation are paramount."

One feature of the Chang family business was their trade in tea with Russia, Central Europe, East Asia and West Asia. In the mid-18th century, Russia and Europe began to demand ever increasing quantities of tea, and in accordance with the Sino-Russian Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689) and the Sino-Russian Treaty of Qiaketu (1727), the Qiaketu was designated a trading city.

The Changs were scholar-merchants, and versed in Confucian theory, whose principles they strictly followed in their commercial and social dealings.

The principles of honesty and thrift as advocated by the Chang family in commercial activities and personal conduct are directly attributable to their belief in the value of education and the wisdom of Confucianism.

The Chang family business boomed for more than 200 years. The family has always set great store on education, and has consequently produced a number of talents. On their continued prosperity being assured, they began to spend more on education, opening their own private schools, which eventually numbered 17.