Shanghai Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall

Shanghai Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall

The Shanghai Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Li Gong Ancestral Hall (Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall) is tucked away within the century-old Fudan High School. Walk across the school’s playground, and you’ll see the Li Gong Ancestral Hall — a classic Chinese-style building with upturned eaves. The high roof ridge is adorned with dragon carvings and the four large characters “Wan Dai Gong Hou.” In front of the hall is a spacious and lofty porch. Looking up, you’ll see four large gilded carved arch panels depicting scenes such as dragons and phoenixes in harmony, warriors on horseback, magpies perched on plum blossoms, and eagles soaring above pine trees — all vividly rendered, giving the entire outer porch a resplendent golden glow. The north and south sides of the building feature tall latticed wooden windows, bright and airy. The interior floor is paved with “golden bricks” produced in Suzhou, and the tall columns naturally draw the eye upward to the dome.

This precious building, constructed in the late Qing Dynasty, had 70% of its structure severely damaged. The entire ancestral hall was noticeably tilted, with disconnected roof ridges, decaying wooden pillars, and an overall precarious state. With the support and cooperation of the Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee, the District Education Bureau, and other parties, Fudan High School undertook a comprehensive and meticulous seven-month “major restoration.” Every brick, every carved detail inside and out, and the beams and pillars all exude a strong sense of antiquity and showcase the exquisite craftsmanship of artisans from the modern era. It is reported that the Li Gong Ancestral Hall will be repurposed as a school history exhibition hall in the future. After a century of vicissitudes, the Li Gong Ancestral Hall has finally been reborn.

The Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall measures 144 meters in length and 58 meters in width, covering an area of 8,120 square meters, and faces south. Originally, it had four courtyards, 24 main rooms, 24 side rooms, one large and one small screen wall each, and one imperial stele. It also featured a complete set of gardens, fish ponds, pavilions, towers, and corridors. Currently, only the main hall, the entrance hall, and the screen wall remain, while the other structures have been demolished and replaced with buildings. The main hall faces south, with a construction area of 305.9 square meters. It has a single-eave flush-gable roof covered with small tiles, a post-and-lintel beam frame, a total width of five bays (23 meters), and a depth of 13.3 meters.

On April 4, 2014, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government designated and announced the Shanghai Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall as a Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit (Shanghai Government Document No. 29 [2014]).

Address: No. 1626 Huashan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai

Transportation: Bus routes 48, 44, 113, 138, 923, and 44 Interval

Li Hongzhang (February 15, 1823 – November 7, 1901), also known by his courtesy names Shaoquan and Yisou, and by the aliases Li Zhongtang and Zhangtong, was a prominent statesman in the late Qing Dynasty. He served as the Viceroy of Zhili and the Minister of Beiyang Trade, and was granted the title of First Class Marquis of Suyi. Li Hongzhang, along with Zeng Guofan, Zhang Zhidong, and Zuo Zongtang, was known as one of the “Four Great Ministers of China's Late Qing Revival,” and alongside Bismarck and Grant, he was referred to as one of the “Three Great Figures of the 19th Century World.” During his tenure, Li Hongzhang suppressed the Taiping Rebellion, participated in the Self-Strengthening Movement, actively advocated for the establishment of a modern navy and the creation of the Beiyang Fleet; yet ultimately, he had to sign the Treaty of Vietnam as a diplomatic representative... More details about Li Hongzhang ++