The houses of the Chinese ethnic minority groups vary from each other. But they all adapt to the natural surroundings and are of practical use.

The houses of the Naxi and Bai people are made from wood or bricks, with white-washed walls. They can be found in the ancient towns of Lijiang and Dali in Yunnan Province. The houses of the Yi people in southwest China are built from mud, with a stone base for the wall. The Dai people in Yunnan Province make their houses from bamboos to suit the tropical environment. The houses of the Hani people are shaped like mushrooms and built from mud. The houses of the Tujia and Miao, known as Diaojiaolou (Stilt houses or pile dwellings), are wooden or bamboo houses on piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water. They are built with two stories on hillsides or near waters. The first floor is for livestock while second floor is for the family. They scatter mainly in Guizhou and Hunan provinces.

Traditional houses of Mongolians in Inner Mongolia and the Kazaks in Xinjiang are movable felt yurts. The opening in the top of the umbrella-shaped roof gives ideal ventilation and good protection against wind and cold. Modern houses are yurt-like ones of mud and wood, each with two or three rooms.