Nanmu Hall of Xu Dazong Ancestral Hall

Nanmu Hall of Xu Dazong Ancestral Hall

The Nanmu Hall of Xu Dazong Ancestral Hall is a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Unit.

Xu Dazong Ancestral Hall, located in Xiyin Village, Yicheng Town, Yixing City, is the family ancestral hall of Xu Pu from the Ming Dynasty. In April 1995, it was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit by the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government.

Xu Pu (1428–1499), courtesy name Shiyong, art name Qianzhai, was a native of Xiyin Village, Yicheng Town. He entered private school at the age of eight. In the fifth year of the Jingtai era (1454) of the Ming Dynasty, he ranked second (Zhuangyuan) in the palace examination, and was appointed as a Hanlin Academy editor. During the Tianshun, Chenghua, and Hongzhi reigns, he successively served as Chief Compiler of National History, Vice Minister of Rites, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and Minister of Rites. In the fifth year of the Hongzhi era (1492), he was promoted to Chief Grand Secretary. In the eleventh year of the Hongzhi era (1498), he was elevated to Grand Secretary of the Huagai Hall. Later, due to eye disease, he requested retirement. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Tutor and given the posthumous name Wenjing. He authored four volumes of "Collected Writings of Qianzhai" and two volumes of "Wenjing Memorials."

Xu Dazong Ancestral Hall faces south and was built in the fifth year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1492). The original structure had five courtyards, but only the second and third remain today. The total width is 17.65 meters, and the depth is 33.17 meters. The second courtyard is three bays wide (17.65 meters) and 11.05 meters deep across eight bays, featuring a flush gable roof, columns made of Yangshan stone, and painted beams and brackets, although the paintings have now faded. The third courtyard is the main hall, also known as the Nanmu Flower Hall because its beams and columns are made of nanmu wood. It is three bays wide (17.65 meters) and 14.80 meters deep across eight bays. It has a hip-and-gable roof, and its beam-frame structure retains the original appearance from the Ming Dynasty when it was first built. The beams, columns, brackets, and rafters inside the hall are adorned with colorful paintings featuring patterns such as intertwined flowers, wrapped brocade designs, and cranes among clouds, all of which still retain their vibrant colors.

The two remaining halls of Xu Dazong Ancestral Hall are elegant and refined, utilizing noble materials and showcasing exquisite craftsmanship, giving them significant architectural art value. Some construction techniques reflect certain architectural features from the transitional period between the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

Xu Dazong Ancestral Hall is a family ancestral hall built during the Ming Dynasty. With a long history and flourishing influence during both the Ming and Qing dynasties, it embodies the historical and cultural heritage of Yixing, a renowned hub of culture, and complements the abundant historical documents, serving as a historical testament to family culture in the Jiangnan region.

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units