The Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu

The Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu

The Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

The Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu is located at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in Longhukantou Village, Nanhu Township, Pingyang County, with a construction area of 500 square meters and a site area of 1,200 square meters. According to Volume One of the Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall records: “In the 11th year of the Jiaqing reign, or 1806 AD, the ancestral hall was built at Yuchi in Nanhu, Forty-Five District, facing south and oriented toward the north.” The building faces south and sits north, and consists of a front hall, main hall, east and west wing corridors, gate tower, and flagpole stone bases.

The main hall of the Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu has a width of seven bays and a depth of six columns and eleven rafters. The central bay features a raised-beam frame, while the other bays use a mixed system of through-tenon and raised-beam structures. It includes a front porch, with round columns used for the porch columns and the front and rear central columns of the main bay, resting on drum-shaped bases; the remaining columns are square, sitting on ?-shaped bases. The front eave columns extend outward by one step, featuring lotus-shaped hanging columns and flying rafters. The central and side bays are adorned with caisson ceilings, each crafted differently with unique shapes and exquisite workmanship. The floor is divided into two levels, with a rammed-earth surface; the front eave section features diagonally scored square patterns in the rammed earth, with some areas additionally engraved with circular designs. The steps are edged with flat stones, and an open-air terrace is set up at the front. The rear eave houses a shrine enshrining the spirit tablets of the Zhao ancestors. The roof is a gable-and-hip style with overhanging eaves, decorated at both ends with dragon ornaments, covered with small blue tiles, and fitted with drip tiles.

The front hall of the Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu has a width of five bays and a depth of three columns and five rafters, using a through-tenon and raised-beam frame. The front eave columns extend outward by three steps and are fitted with flying rafters; the rear eave columns extend outward with bracket-arm jumps. The central bay’s beam frame is hung with a plaque inscribed with “Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall.” The roof is a gable-and-hip style with overhanging eaves, decorated at both ends with dragon ornaments, and fitted with drip tiles. The wing corridors are three bays wide and three columns and five rafters deep, with the front eave columns extending outward by one step, the rear eave featuring a wall, and the frame being of the through-tenon and raised-beam type. The roof is a gable-and-hip style, with curling-grass ridges at both ends, drip tiles, and fitted with drip tiles.

The gate tower of the Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu is constructed from brick, single-bay, and built in imitation of wooden architecture. Each face subtly reveals single-step beams, brackets, and other components. … The upper eave corners feature small white pottery ornaments. The lower eave corners are shaped into lotus petals, with the lower part being slightly concave, and the upper corners feature small white pottery ornaments with the inscription “Jiulong Year.” The lower eave is gently curved, with the column bases in octagonal form, the middle section slightly bulging, and the upper section thinning. The lower eave corner features carved patterns, and the upper eave corner has engraved cloud motifs.

The Zhao Clan Ancestral Hall of Nanhu serves as a venue for clan members to worship ancestors and sages. With its complete architectural layout, refined interior craftsmanship, and exquisite carvings, it is an important physical resource for studying the spread of religion and clan culture in the Pingyang region, possessing significant cultural relic and artistic value.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Zhejiang Province