Hui Courtyard Houses: Building Forms, Communities and Historical Change

作者 Anthony
發布日期 11 月 13, 2026

See how Hui families adapted courtyard houses in Ningxia, Xi’an and Linxia, from guest rooms and earthen walls to mosque-centered neighborhoods.

Quick Answer: What Are Hui Courtyard Houses?

Hui courtyard houses are homes in which Hui (回族, Huízú) households use an open court between buildings for access, circulation and daily activities. The arrangement takes different forms across China. A rural compound in Ningxia and an urban property in Xi’an reflect different plots, materials and ways of living.^[1][2][6]

Plan: The court connects rooms around an open space. Several household layouts can occur within the same city district.^[6]
Materials: Rural houses studied in Ningxia included earthen walls and heated platforms for cold weather.^[2]
Neighborhood: In old Xi’an, mosques, shops and lanes helped organize the larger Hui residential district.^[3]

The courtyard describes a way to organize a dwelling. Nearby religious and community buildings help explain how that home fits its district.^[1][3]

Hui courtyard houses infographic with Ningxia rooms and urban neighborhood lanes

Two houses can have similar courtyards and serve households with different customs. To understand a Hui home, look at how the rooms are used and how the entrance connects to the street as well as at the shape of the plot.

How the Courtyard Organizes Domestic Space

In a siheyuan (四合院, sìhéyuàn), buildings face an open court from four sides. Hui families have adapted courtyard layouts to local conditions. Surveys in Xi’an’s old city found differences in dwelling types, ownership and the number of households occupying a property.^[6]

A courtyard can therefore be shared by more than one household. Its walls and entrance establish the boundary with the lane, while the court organizes access within that boundary. Looking at ownership and use alongside the plan helps avoid treating a single arrangement as a rule for Hui homes across China.^[1][6]

What Changed in Rural Ningxia Houses

A study of Guanqiao (关桥, Guānqiáo) in Haiyuan County documented changes in Hui village homes from the 1960s onward. Older houses used earth walls, and a kang (炕, kàng), or heated platform, was a main source of warmth. The largest bedroom often served as a place to receive guests.^[2]

Separate living rooms began to appear around 1990 in the surveyed homes. Residents still often received guests in bedrooms. In some newer layouts a bedroom sat next to the living room, a layout the researchers read as a continuation of earlier habits.^[2]

How Courtyard Houses Fit Urban Neighborhoods

In the old walled city of Xi’an, researchers traced connections between Hui residential streets, shops, community institutions and mosques. A mosque can anchor a larger neighborhood. The home’s court serves a smaller group of people in their daily routines. That difference in scale is also useful when reading Chinese mosque architecture.^[3]

Bafang Shisanxiang (八坊十三巷, Bāfāng Shísānxiàng), an old Hui district of Linxia in Gansu, began a renewal project in 2015. One protected property is the courtyard at 80 Daga Lane. The project set out to keep the street pattern and bring some new public and commercial uses into courtyards.^[4][5]

FAQs About Hui Courtyard Houses

Do All Hui Courtyard Houses Follow One Plan?

House plans vary by place, plot and household. Surveys of Xi’an’s Hui district identified several dwelling types and arrangements of ownership.^[1][6]

What Is a Kang in a Ningxia House?

A kang is a heated platform used for warmth and daily activities. Older Guanqiao homes used it for heating, and the main bedroom could also serve as a reception space.^[2]

Are Hui Courtyard Homes the Same as Mosque Compounds?

A house court serves domestic life. A mosque compound serves worship and community functions, and may help organize a larger residential district.^[1][3]