Residential Culture in Decorative Brick Carving of Shanxi Merchants' Buildings in Ming and Qing Dynasties

On the basis of field research on decorative brick carvings, this paper analyses the vernacular architecture culture in Shanxi Merchants' residential buildings of Ming and Qing Dynasties. Brick works fully demonstrate the characteristics of Confucian culture of the Shanxi Merchants in the typical folk residential house, of which reflects the residential owner's strong and straightforward desire for a better life. Exquisite crafts demonstrate that Shanxi Merchants strive for perfection of life in line with the rigorous pursuit of solemn awareness of the traditional Chinese culture.