Richangshen Exchange Shop (Piaohao) was established in 1823 of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is the first private financial organization of China majoring in deposit schemes, loans and remittance  services. The headquarter was situated at Pingyao old town with an area of 1,600 square meters; its 35 plus branches are widely spread all over China mainly in those big commercial cities. The business lasts 108 years, playing an important role in the development of civil economy and industries.
Rishengchang Exchange Shop was fully restored in 1995, which has around twenty rooms at three courtyards on a north-south central axis. In the front of the compound, five rooms facing the street served as the gate of the shop. The board with the shop name hangs in central position above the five rooms. The counters are arranged on either side of the front yard. The three rooms in the middle courtyard house the exchange center is the place where primary operations were carried out. Guest rooms are to be found in the wings beside the main hall. In the rear court there are five main halls, serving mainly as the accommodation for the senior staff and VIP customers.
For the security reason, a net made from tiny metal thread was covered over the top of the whole compound. Small bells were added on the net to make an alert if someone tried to enter the premises. |
