Sun Family Ancestral Hall

Sun Family Ancestral Hall

The Sun Family Ancestral Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.

Sun Family Ancestral Hall

Located in Fishing Islet Park on the southern shore of Shanghu Lake, it is also known as Shude Hall. The hall was built during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty by Sun Shida, a native of Kuaiji who held the concurrent post of acting Tianjin-Haihe Dao (Tianjin-Haihe Circuit) intendant of Zhili and the rank of provincial administration commissioner. It faces south and consists of two courtyards in a row, featuring a flush-gable roof and a traditional quadrangle layout. Wing rooms are situated on both sides, serving as guest halls and living quarters, all interconnected by covered corridors. The complex covers an area of approximately 1,127 square meters. The first section is the entrance gatehouse, which is five bays wide (20.9 meters) and seven bays deep (7.4 meters), with an eave height of 4 meters. The second section is the main hall, constructed with a post-and-lintel beam system, five bays wide (20.7 meters) and eight bays deep (8.5 meters), with an eave height of 4.3 meters. The building materials are sturdy and refined, with beams and interior fittings made of hardwood imported from Southeast Asia, square granite column bases, and exterior firewalls. The ancestral hall was originally located at No. 6, Beimen Street, Yushan Town, and was relocated here in 1990 following its original design. It was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Changshu City in November 1982.