The residential buildings of the Bai Ethnic people have always been considered outstanding among the group's many kinds of architecture. The Bai people attach great importance to their living conditions due to having been engaged in farming and domesticated living since ancient times, which makes them different from nomadic ethnic groups.

In fact, there used to be a saying depicting the Bai's lifestyle as "Big house, and empty stomach ". This is because the Bai people would economize on food and clothing for the sake of building a big and comfortable house, which sometimes would take a lifetime of efforts.

For the Bai People, the house is not only a place for relaxing or feeding themselves, but also a venue that serves such purposes as holding sacrificial ceremonies, entertaining guests, storing food and raising cattle and fowls.

As the Bai people are mainly distributed in Dali County of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, stones, which are abundant in the county, are the most important building materials for them. Stones are used for laying the foundation and building the walls; the stones also make up the cross girders (similar to beams) over the gates and windows. According to historical records, this kind of architectural tradition dates back to as early as 3,000 years ago.

In terms of courtyard layout, architectural structure and interior decorations, the residential buildings of the Bai people have similarities with those in Central China. However, due to the regions' natural differences including aesthetic differences, the residencies of the Bai people are imbued with strong local flavor and ethnic styles.

A rough comparison can be made between the courtyard buildings of the Bai people and those of Beijing in North China. Generally speaking, the latter ones are mostly positioned in the north, facing the south, while the former ones are largely positioned in the west, facing the east. This may be due to the geographical features of Dali County, where the Transect Ridge extends along a north-to-south line. Also, courtyard houses in Beijing are one-storey building, while those of the Bai people generally have two storeys.

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