The courtyard is located in the Town ofYang Liu QingnearTianjincity.

The Shi family was one of the eight most famous and powerful families inTianjinin the late Qing Dynasty. The Shi family first became rich through trading grain and cotton, using the canal transportation that was popular at that time.

They made enough money to buy land and build their own houses. Then they opened shops, factories and private banks to multiply their wealth. The family lived in Yang Liu Qing for over 200 years. During the reign of emperor Jia Qing, the Shi family owned thousands of hectares of land and 500 houses.