The family is the basis of Confucian society. According to Confuician text, The Great Learning (Daxue), if all is well with the family then all would be well in the nation, generally speaking. In the Chinese written language, as in English, "home" means both "family" and "house." Under its roof, the family is protected and prosperity can be found.

In Chinese, the word for "home" is seen as a pig under a roof and the word for "peace" is represented as a woman under a roof:

family jia (pronounced "jah")	peace an ("ahn")

The emperor also saw himself as a father figure, protecting and enabling his "children" to prosper.

From Confucianism evolved a social structure that emphasized relationships of status and duty among members of a family. Sons were subordinate to fathers, wives to husbands, younger friends to older friends, etc. This hierarchy is evident in the layout of the courtyard home. Family elders lived in quarters at the rear of the compound, usually the most private part of the home. Servants' quarters were usually found close to the door, near the washroom and the kitchen.

In pre-modern China, most affairs were conducted through extended family connections. Associations with strangers were avoided; it was better to work with people believed to be trustworthy. This separation of public and private, inner and outer circles is reflected in the unadorned exteriors of Chinese homes. One might initially think an elaborately carved gate, such as this 1728 gate at The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, would be placed at a main entrance. But it was not. It was originally located within the inner courtyard near the home's main reception hall.