Zhengzhai Town

Zhengzhai Town

In Chinese history, there was a family that endured for over 350 years, spanning the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. Fifteen generations lived together, sharing wealth and meals, with the family numbering up to 3,000 at its peak. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, bestowed upon them the title “The First Family of the South,” referring to the Zheng family of Pujiang, Zhejiang, also known as the “-men.”

Zhengzhai Town is a scenic ancient town nestled in the lush hills of Pujiang County, with the Zheng Clan Ancestral Hall located right in the center of the town. Passing through the side gate, a large plaque reading “The First Family of the South” immediately catches the eye, flanked by the ten characters “Farming,” “Reading,” “Loyalty,” “Trust,” “Filial Piety,” “Brotherly Love,” “Ritual,” “Righteousness,” “Integrity,” and “Shame.” Each character seems to echo the distant past, telling moving stories from that era. During the Northern Song Dynasty, a man named Zheng Huai, along with his two brothers, migrated to Pujiang and became known as the “Three Zhengs of Puyang.” Zheng Huai’s grandson, Zheng Qi, was the advocate and founder of the fifteen-generation cohabitation, honored as the “First Ancestor of Cohabitation.” A keen scholar, Zheng Qi took on the responsibility of revitalizing the family and began managing household affairs with “filial piety and righteousness” as the core principles. The Zheng family reached its zenith during the early Ming Dynasty. By then, it had grown to “nearly a thousand members,” with a grand and well-organized structure that drew attention and acclaim far and wide. Many clan members participated in formulating policies for the Zhu Yuanzhang regime, and to govern effectively, the emperor drew inspiration from the Zheng family’s household management practices to better control the political situation.

The main gate of the Zheng Clan Ancestral Hall faces west, overlooking Bailin Stream, with a plaque inscribed “Zheng Clan Ancestral Hall.” Originally expanded in the early Yuan Dynasty, the hall spans 6,600 square meters and has a history of over 650 years. It underwent several expansions during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Though damaged in parts, its basic layout remains intact—dignified, solemn, simple, and sturdy. Upon entering, to the right stands a stone stele inscribed with “Bailin Stream,” written by the Yuan Dynasty’s Grand Chancellor Tuo Tuo. To the left is a row of ancient, robust cypresses, said to have been planted by Ning Lian himself. Nearby lies a pond called “Clean Sacrificial Pond,” containing two small pools forming the shape of a Chinese character “品” (meaning “quality”). The line of cypresses and the “品” shaped ponds symbolize “attaining the highest rank in court.” The entire Zheng Clan Ancestral Hall is divided into five sections: the front Hall of Diligence and Frugality, followed by the Central Courtyard, then the Hall of Order, the Hall of Filial Friendship (also known as the Worship Hall), and finally the Living Quarters where ancestral tablets of the cohabiting generations are enshrined. The Worship Hall prominently displays a plaque reading “Hall of Filial Friendship,” with “Assembly Bell” hanging on the left and “Instruction Drum” on the right. These bell and drum rituals followed strict customs: the “Assembly Bell” would be rung 24 times each morning, signaling all family members to rise simultaneously; then four rings for grooming; followed by eight rings, after which men and women would form separate lines to listen to the patriarch’s address in the Hall of Diligence and Frugality. The sounding of the “Instruction Drum” marked the beginning of the patriarch’s speech. The hall has a total of 64 rooms and two corridors, with over 30 pieces of stelae, plaques, and couplets from the Yuan and Ming periods. Among them, the “Imperially Honored Ancestral Hall of Filial Righteousness” was originally inscribed by the Ming scholar Zhang Yihuai; the large plaque with three bold characters “Filial Righteousness Home” was personally written by Emperor Taizu of Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang; and “Diligence and Frugality” was inscribed by Hanlin Academician Zhou Bowen. The Zheng Family’s Righteous Gate integrated the ideal of a harmonious society into their family rituals, establishing “Order” and “Diligence and Frugality” as the two pillars of household governance. “Order” regulated interpersonal relationships—“With order, there is no chaos; without chaos, there is peace”; while “Frugality” managed human desires—“With diligence and frugality, there is no greed; without greed, there is integrity.”

The streets of Zhengzhai Town still exude a subtle ancient charm. Spanning Bailin Stream are ten stone bridges, forming the famous natural landscape of “The First Family of the South”—Ten Bridges and Nine Sluices. Built during the Ming Dynasty and repaired many times since, each bridge is equipped with a sluice gate to facilitate washing. The waters of Bailin Stream originate from the scenic Xuanlu Mountain. The stream flows gently, with willow branches swaying on both banks, creating a beautiful and pleasant scenery. Crossing the bridges, you’ll find a stele pavilion, the Nine-Generations-Cohabitation Stele Pavilion, located on the southern bank of Bailin Stream. Constructed in the 23rd year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1758), it bears eight large characters “One Family Upholds Righteousness, Nine Generations Live Together,” handwritten by the Yuan Dynasty’s Hanlin Academician Lu Tiemuer, serving as a timeless lesson for future generations.