China has a vast expanse of territory and a long history. There are multiple styles of Chinese courtyard residences in accordance with differences in the nature and human environments in various localities.  Courtyards, in most cases, have natural and simple characteristics. They are built with locally-produced materials, by economical methods, and in close combination of such natural factors as climate, topography and environment.  Courtyards can be found through China. In most cases, man and nature have the most direct close contact. Courtyards, are in harmony with nature and are seldom in a sharp contrast with nature. Here we list some courtyards in different areas of China.

Courtyards ( Siheyuan) in Beijing 
Courtyards can be found in North China and the Northwest territories, but Beijing courtyards are the most typical ones. Beijing is the city with the most common and unique courtyards. As long as courtyard is mentioned, it is usually referring to a Beijing courtyard. Beijing courtyards are mostly a single-storey building, with four independent houses at four sides connected with a gallery circled into a square. The gate is usually found in the southeast. Overlooking Beijing from the air, you can see many square yards surrounded with gray tiled houses. The green plants in the yard decorate the houses and provide shade for the residents. Along with Beijing hutongs, the Beijing courtyard has become the representative of Beijing traditional culture and folklore, and the logo of Beijing construction.

Courtyards apart from Beijing
Apart from Beijing, other northern areas in China also take courtyards as the main residential form. Due to the impact of climate, building materials, and cultural traditions, the courtyards in different regions have different features

Wang Family Grand Courtyard 
The Grand Courtyard of the Wang Family in Lingshi County, Shanxi province, was the residence of a wealthy merchant of the Qing Dynasty. It has several courtyards connected with each other.

Qiao Family Grand Courtyard 
The famous Qiao family grand courtyard is a typical Shanxi-style courtyard. 

Courtyards in Northeast China
​As northeast China is vast in land and cold in weather, the courtyard always occupies a large area and is left with enough open space to admit more sunlight.

Courtyards in Shaanxi,Henan
In the southern part of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, and other areas, in order to reduce the heat of the intense sunshine, people always lengthened the north-south axis. Therefore, unlike the square Beijing courtyard, they are rectangular in general. 

Courtyards in Anhui, Jiangxi
The courtyards in Huizhou, Anhui province, feature a narrow north-south axis and long east-west axis. Courtyards in South China are small, surrounded with storey houses, and the central yard is called a patio.
These buildings are in the form of skylight courtyard houses, mainly two-storied ones, with high walls. The white walls, gray bricks, black tiles, narrow alleys and entrance gates with brick carvings are features specific to dwelling houses in south Anhui and north Jiangxi.

Courtyards in Hunan
Courtyard houses are called "skylight courtyard houses" in south China. In mountain areas in Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan and Yuannan where there is an abundance of timber and a humid and hot climate, people build houses on stults using local timber. 

Courtyards in Yunnan, Guizhou
Three houses and one wall' residential houses in Dali, Yunnan province, is also a kind of courtyard, and is composed of the main house, wing house, opposite house and the yard wall.

'Yi ke yin' building in Guizhou, Yunnan province and the northeast courtyard have similarities with Beijing courtyards, but they are essentially different.