According to relevant historical records, Donggou, formerly known as Xuzhuang, is a big Xu family in the village. In the early Qing Dynasty, he moved from Nanzhai Street in Fengtai County and opened a shop at the entrance of the main road in the west of the village. Later, its family business grew and gradually developed into Xuzhuang Town. During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, Xu Heng, a descendant of the Xu family, entered the official career and began to build Donggou Village, and specially chose the site to build a large-scale Xu family courtyard. By the end of Qing Dynasty, Xuzhuang and Donggouzhai were unified into Donggou Town. Because the villages and towns are located in the main roads and rich in mineral resources, Donggou has gradually developed into a large-scale market town where merchants gather, so it is called "one pier and forty miles of rivers". After liberation, it became the political and cultural center of western Jincheng, with developed smelting, coal and commerce. In the 1980s, it was renamed Dadonggou Town. In the past, there were 18 courtyards in JOE compound, with tall gates, connected houses and overlapping eaves. The whole building complex is connected with 18 courtyards by two longitudinal tunnels in the north and south respectively, forming the architectural pattern of compound with small courtyard and small courtyard with large courtyard.
Behind the vestibule, there are not only hall courtyards, but also "four big and eight small" quadrangles with regular shapes, as well as three-story brick buildings with a height exceeding 15 meters, among which the hall courtyards, new courtyards and three quadrangles are the most complete. The unique eaves architecture, beautifully carved screens under the eaves and arched doors and windows with Chinese and western walls all reflect the extreme luxury of this official residence in the past.
More interestingly, there are several narrow passages between the courtyards, and some of them are equipped with grinders and wells in the wall holes. These rotating narrow passages are hidden deep in the courtyard surrounded by high walls, and strangers can enter the maze. The architectural features of JOE Siheyuan are simple and magnificent. The ground decoration is simple and generous, and the pattern of window lattice doors is regular, which reflects the unique style and momentum of the official residence building.