In Sanjia Alley, on the edge of Shaxi Ancient Town, stands a monument to the golden age of the Tea Horse Road. Built between 1912 and 1919 by the caravan leader Ouyang Jing, this 1,300-square-meter compound served as a luxury inn for wealthy merchants. Travelers called it a five-star horse shop, a sanctuary of security and comfort after months on treacherous mountain trails.

The journey begins at the main gate, a semi-circular archway of local red sandstone. Run your fingers over the cool, textured stone, where carved lions guard the entrance. Above, an embedded couplet spells out the family name, claiming this space as "Ouyang Tiandi"—the Ouyang family's private world. Inside, the layout follows the traditional Bai principles of "Three Courtyards and One Screen Wall" and "Four Courtyards and Five Patios." The entire structure relies on a traditional mortise-and-tenon timber system, held together entirely by interlocking wood joints.

Human presence lingers in the details. In the kitchen, the stone stove and utensils remain blackened by the greasy smoke of meals cooked for tired traders. In the main hall, the six partition doors feature lattice windows carved with one hundred unique variations of the characters for fortune and longevity. These were carved by the skilled hands of Jianchuan Bai craftsmen, who left their tool marks in the native timber.

The inn offered both amusement and defense. Wealthy guests watched performances from their rooms, looking down at a private miniature theater stage. Beneath the floors, a hidden escape tunnel and built-in wall safes protected lives and silver. In the third courtyard, the stable walls still bear a faded painting of the Monkey King, placed there to guard the horses.

The courtyard also holds stories of resilience. In 1947, bandits killed the second-generation owner, Ouyang Shu. His widow, Zhao Yidi, took up her husband’s whip, leading the caravan across the high passes and preserving the family business for decades. Today, the restored timber and stone of the Ouyang Courtyard preserve the memory of those who walked the ancient road.