Like many places in China and especially Xian, it is woth getting a guide to explain as one explores this beautiful mansion with rich history. There's often a lot of symbolism in Chinese architecture and story behind seemingly mundane items so we were glad to have a guide to share stories with us. Our guide was humourous, knowledgeable and offered suitable breaks to rest from the walking. It was an enjoyable experience which we also learnt quite a lot from.