A siheyuan (Chinese: 四合院; [sɹ̩̂.xɤ̌.ɥɛ̂n]) is a type of dwelling that was commonly found throughout China, most famously in Beijing and rural Shanxi.

Throughout Chinese history, the siheyuan composition was the basic pattern used for residences, palaces, temples, monasteries, family businesses, and government offices.

Siheyuan today are typically used as housing complexes, hosting multiple families, with courtyards being developed to provide extra living space.

A study by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in 2008 estimates that there are still about 400,000 residential courtyards remaining in Beijing.

[2] A report in 2005 finds there are usually around 7,000 to 9,000 residential siheyuans that are on the market for sale, and many are generally priced at 7,000 to 10,000 yuan per square meter.

The northern, eastern and western buildings are connected by beautifully decorated pathways (抄手游廊, chāoshǒu yóuláng).

These passages serve as shelters from the sunshine during the day, and provide a cool place to appreciate the view of the courtyard at night.

[3] The courtyard dwellings were built according to the traditional concepts of the five elements that were believed to compose the universe, and the eight diagrams of divination.

The northern main building receives the most, thus serving as the living room and bedroom of the owner or head of the family.

The eastern and western side buildings receive less, and serve as the rooms for children or less important members of the family.

The southern building receives the least sunlight (it is the most shaded by the walls of the siheyuan), and usually functions as a reception room and the servants' dwelling, or where the family would gather to relax, eat or study.

In Gansu, Qinghai and other northwest regions, where dust storms are very strong, courtyard walls tend to be higher.

In the northeast, land is abundant but the weather is cold, so courtyards are built broad and large to increase the exposure to sunlight, and there are more open areas inside the walls.

Recently, a modern version of siheyuan has been developed as a villa product in large scale planned residential communities of China.