To reflect and inherit the characteristics of ancient Chinese architecture and regional culture, the Chinese antique building (CAB) imitating ancient Chinese timber building has been constructed using contemporary steel materials. These buildings mostly deploy steel rectangular-shaped beams and circular cross-sectional columns, which normally exhibit typical premature yielding fractures at the beam ends under seismic actions, as well as weak energy dissipation capacity and significant residual deformation. A steel semi-rigid joint equipped with SMA bars and friction dampers was proposed to improve the seismic performance and recoverability of CABs. The proposed joint aims to achieve the purpose of "self-centering during minor to moderate earthquakes" and "high energy-dissipating capacity under severe earthquakes" for CABs. Compared to simple semi-rigid joints, the energy dissipation of joints with friction dampers improved, while the joints equipped with the shape memory alloy (SMA) bar-friction damper coupling devices exhibited significant increases in yield displacement, strength, and overall stiffness, along with remarkable reduction in residual deformation. Based on the test observations, a numerical model was constructed to parametrically optimize the structural design of the damage-controllable steel semi-rigid joints equipped with SMA bars and friction dampers. The research results shall provide a theoretical basis for the proposed joint in engineering applications of steel antique buildings.