In the autumn of 1602, the thirtieth year of the Wanli reign, regional Bai craftsmen raised the timber frame of the Duan Xueyan Residence at No. 20 Ximen Street. Located in the northern-middle section of Jinhua Town in Jianchuan County, this single-entry courtyard belongs to a continuous building lineage that flourished along the trade routes of Yunnan from 1392 to 1629.

The structure is a masterclass in regional engineering. To survive the seismic shifts of the Dali region, Bai builders developed a compact, interlocking timber frame. When the earth trembles, these flexible wooden joints sway and absorb the shock, keeping the heavy tiled roof secure. Inside the courtyard, the layout follows an orderly plan, dividing the primary and secondary spaces between the main gate, the principal room, the facing room, and the northern wing.

Human hands left their marks everywhere. Local woodcarvers chiseled smooth, layered lines into the beams, leaving symbolic motifs that catch the shifting mountain light. Visitors can feel the physical ridges left by iron chisels on the pillars. The scent of old pine still lingers in the dry air of the courtyard, while cool stone bases ground the soaring woodwork, protecting the timber from dampness.

Over the centuries, the house witnessed the passage of merchants from the Tea Horse Road. In May 2006, the State Council recognized its historical value, designating it as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level under the Ximen Street Ancient Architecture Group. Recently, specialists from the Yunnan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology carefully reinforced the structural joints. Their modern interventions sit quietly alongside the original wooden pegs, ensuring that this four-hundred-year-old home continues to stand firm against time.