The house was originally located in the village of Cizhong 茨中, situated along the banks of the Mekong River (Lancang jiang 澜沧江) in Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture which sits within northwest Yunnan Province, bordering the Tibet Autonomous Region.  The craftsmen who built the house were from Jianchuan County 剑川县 in neighboring Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.