Vernacular Architecture of Zhangsi Village

Vernacular Architecture of Zhangsi Village

The vernacular architecture of Zhangsi Village is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The vernacular architecture of Zhangsi Village is located in Pingqiao Town, Tiantai County, dating from the Ming Dynasty to the Republican Era.

In this ancient village with its simple folk customs, Zhangsi Village has preserved three ancestral halls, over ten Ming and Qing-style courtyards, as well as several residences from the Republican Era. The Chen Ancestral Hall of Zhangsi, also known as the Upper Chen Ancestral Hall, is located to the northwest of Duntou in the center of the village. It was built by Zhefeng Gong, the 13th-generation ancestor of the Wuyuan Chen family, in honor of his earliest ancestor who relocated to Zhangsi. The ancestral hall was initially constructed in the late Ming Dynasty and underwent two renovations in the 54th year of the Qianlong reign and the 19th year of the Jiaqing reign. The current structure was rebuilt in the 5th year of the Guangxu reign. The gate tower was renovated in the 17th year of the Republican Era, and the plaque on the gate inscribed “Chen Ancestral Hall” bears the signature “Renovated by descendants in the Year of Wuchen, Republican Era.” The ancestral hall features a stage and a main hall, with wing rooms on both sides, forming a quadrangle courtyard. Previously, the hall displayed multiple plaques, among which “Da Fu Di” and “Song Jin Shi” spoke of the scholarly glory of the Chen family, while the “Qin Bao Chun Xiao” plaque from the Daoguang era praised the family’s traditional virtue of filial piety.

The Longguang Chen Ancestral Hall in the village is located south of Duntou Terrace. It is a dedicated ancestral hall for Longguang Gong, the 18th-generation ancestor of the Zhangsi Chen family. Chen Longguang was once nominated for the position of Transport Intendant during the early Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, and his grandson, Chen Mucheng, was officially appointed as Prefect of Taizhou Prefecture in the 19th year of the Daoguang reign. To honor their ancestors, the clan decided to build a dedicated ancestral hall for Longguang Gong. The construction of the ancestral hall began in the 19th year of the Daoguang reign, coinciding with the first year of Chen Mucheng’s appointment as Prefect of Taizhou at the age of 69. After the completion of the ancestral hall, Chen Mucheng cast one satisfied glance at the new structure, having accomplished the last major deed of his life, and peacefully closed his eyes in the Yiyang Building.

The ancestral hall is not very large, but its architecture possesses a unique style. The stone gate tower of the shrine is particularly distinctive, with stone brackets supporting a stone slab roof, flying rafters, and the main roof. The stone spandrels are carved with the motifs of kui dragons and the blessing pattern. The front stone plaque is inscribed with “Longguang Chen Ancestral Hall,” while the inner door plaque features four raised regular-script characters: “Qing Shan Gong Xiu” (Azure Mountains Framing Beauty). The wooden carvings inside the ancestral hall are equally exquisite, with the column capitals and spandrels carved with designs of plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, reflecting the refined character and taste of literati. The ancestral hall originally housed a plaque titled “Chi Feng Bao Shan” (Imperially Praised for Kindness), which hung prominently inside. It honored Longguang Gong’s benevolent deeds and generosity.

On January 7, 2011, it was announced as part of the Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units