The Fang Clan Private Hall and the Fang Clan Ancestral Hall (Relative Positions)

The Fang Clan Private Hall and the Fang Clan Ancestral Hall (Relative Positions)

The Fang Clan Private Hall and the Fang Clan Ancestral Hall are cultural relics protection units of Zhejiang Province.

Located east of the Fang Clan Ancestral Hall in Xiangdui Village, Zhoujia Township, Qujiang District, it was designated as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit in January 2017.

The Xiangdui Fang Clan Private Hall was built during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1851–1861). It faces south with a northern orientation, has brick walls, a flush gable roof, and follows a traditional three-courtyard layout. The main hall is three bays wide, with a construction area of 135.22 square meters. The central bay of the main hall features a raised-beam structure with a five-rafter beam system including a single step in the front and double steps in the rear, while the side bays use a through-tenon system supported by eight rafters on five columns. There are six large and intricately carved bracket arms (dou-gong) depicting figures, flowers, and lions. The hall also includes decorative ceiling tiles, column brackets, thick wooden beams and pillars, painted facade walls, stone-paved courtyard, and round column bases. A plaque inscribed with the characters “Chunxiu Yu Xiu” (meaning “Spring Beauties Nurtured Here”) hangs in the front hall, authored by Fang Zhaoran in the second spring month of the Bingchen year, with floral patterns along its border. Originally built by the Fang clan, the building now serves as the residence of Fang Yansong.

The Xiangdui Fang Clan Ancestral Hall is located in Xiangdui Village, Zhoujia Township, Qujiang District, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province. According to local villager Fang Shibao, the ancestral hall was built in the late Qing Dynasty (1821–1911). It was designated as a district-level cultural relics protection unit in May 2013. The structure faces south and consists of three courtyards, covering a construction area of 315.28 square meters. It has an eight-character entrance gate, a double-sloped flush gable roof covered with alternating small blue tiles. The front hall is three bays wide; its central bay uses a raised-beam structure with a five-rafter beam system including double steps both in front and back, while the side bays use a through-tenon system with nine rafters supported by five divided columns. The side rooms are two bays wide. The courtyard is paved with pebble coins, surrounded by long stone slabs. The middle hall’s central bay has a five-rafter beam system with double steps in the front and single step in the rear, while the side bays use a through-tenon system with eight rafters supported by five divided columns. The rear hall’s central and side bays both use a through-tenon system with five rafters supported by five columns. A connecting corridor links the middle and rear halls, each flanked by a small courtyard. The front and middle halls feature ceiling tiles, with the middle hall using lotus-shaped column bases cushioned by inverted basins and column tops adorned with dou-gong brackets. Wooden components such as bracket arms and spandrels are carved with patterns of figures and flowers. The Fang Clan Ancestral Hall retains a largely intact layout, exhibits refined craftsmanship, features exquisite and ornamental wood carvings, and displays distinct characteristics of traditional local clan architecture. Historical records indicate that Fang Ruixian, the second son of Fang Liangsen from the late Yuan Dynasty, settled here through marriage and took his elder brother’s residence as reference—since their homesteads faced each other, the place came to be named “Xiangdui” (meaning “facing each other”).

The Xiangdui Fang Clan Private Hall and the Fang Clan Ancestral Hall are situated in Xiangdui Village, a key provincial-level historical and cultural village under conservation and utilization efforts. The area boasts profound cultural heritage and beautiful ecological surroundings. Both cultural relics feature orderly layouts, robust materials, finely carved wooden components, exquisite craftsmanship, and high cultural value. They represent traditional Chinese and regionally distinctive ancestral hall architectures, serving as important reflections of modern economic, cultural, and social development.

Zhoujia Township: Once a township under the jurisdiction of Qu County. Established as a township in 1950, later converted to a commune, and reinstated as a township in 1984. Located in the northern part of the county, it covers an area of 40 square kilometers with a population of 15,000. It has two highways and governs 23 village committees: Shijing, Houdui, Chengcun, Banqiao, Chuankeng, Jiangjia, Chongyuan, Kuzhugang, Wuxiqiao, Fengcun, Songjia, Shanglin, Pantangwu, Zhoujia, Houxitang, Jingtougen, Xiayingyuan, Peijia, Xiangdui, Shangjiang, Zhaiji, Chuanshanping, and Shanggangtou. The township’s enterprises mainly focus on limestone and food processing, while agriculture centers on rice, rapeseed, loquat, tea, citrus cultivation, and animal husbandry... More details about Zhoujia Township ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units