Wang Ancestral Hall in Yangpengtou

Wang Ancestral Hall in Yangpengtou

The Wang Ancestral Hall in Yangpengtou is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Wang Ancestral Hall in Yangpengtou is located in Yangpengtou Village, Xiage Town, Xianju County, dating back to the Qing Dynasty.

The Zhang’an Wang Clan’s Wang Ancestral Hall in Yangpengtou was built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, over four hundred years ago, and was initiated by the 14th and 15th-generation ancestors. It has a main hall with three bays, two side wings each with three bays, a front facade of five bays, a small chicken coop-style roofed stage, a central courtyard of over one hundred square meters, and a Screw Well located thirty meters east of the ancestral hall's wall.

The front five-bay facade of the ancestral hall features beams and rafters decorated with dragon bone motifs beneath the purlins. The pillars and beams are intricately carved and painted, adorned with figures of humans, birds, beasts, flowers, and trees, all finely crafted with expert painting. Above the central gate hangs a “Wang Clan” plaque, while the two side gates bear plaques inscribed with “Enduring Legacy” and “Ancestral Worship Through the Ages.” During the Ming Dynasty, civil and military officials had to dismount from their horses or step down from their sedan chairs and walk through here. The first two bays feature decorative horse-head gables, with drip tiles along the eaves and continuous ink paintings underneath. The stage has upturned corners at both sides, with a dragon soaring into the sky; the roof corners are adorned with carp transforming into dragons, while the center features two dragons playing with a pearl. The ceiling is decorated with multiple tiers of carvings and colorful paintings. The entire structure is magnificent and was one of the best two-and-a-half stages in Xianju County before liberation.

The main hall’s central lattice hangs five plaques inscribed with “Father-Son-Brothers as Governors and Censors,” “Scholarship for the Nation,” “Jinshi (Advanced Scholar),” “Literary Luminary,” and “Military Luminary.” The central pillar is engraved with words from Cai Xizhou, the imperial inspector of Xiamen in the 18th year of the Wanli era: “Managing the nation’s reserves, the laurel shades spread; composing odes on the river to assist in peace.” In the spring of the 19th year of the Wanli era, Governor Fu Mengchun composed an inscription for Zongmu: “Expounding on Neo-Confucian teachings to cultivate people, your achievements in coinage are as lofty as drum casting; establishing canal regulations to benefit the nation, your merits are engraved on the battle flags.” In the autumn of the 19th year of the Wanli era, Inspector Huang Zhong composed another inscription for Zongmu: “Your mind embraces the universe, your spirit commands the rivers and mountains; your strategies for national planning brought great merit to Lianghuai, your support to the imperial court earned eternal fame.” The front gate pillars are inscribed with words from Xiao Gong in the 12th year of the Wanli era for Zongmu: “Scholarship that spans antiquity and modernity, talent that adapts to the times.” The Wang Ancestral Hall has a long architectural history and profound cultural significance.

On January 13, 2017, the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province announced it as part of the Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Yangpengtou Village: Located in the eastern part of Xiage Town, Xianju County, at the northern foot of Mishiliang, the main peak of the Kuocang Mountains, Yangpengtou Village has a total population of over 2,358 people, with 1,060 mu of arable land and 7,870 mu of forest. The village has a history of over 2,000 years and preserves many ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, including the Cheng Clan Ancestral Hall built in the 7th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, and the Wang Clan Ancestral Hall built in the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty—both are listed as Xianju County Cultural Relics Protection Sites. The village boasts numerous historic sites, such as an ancient bridge, one Ge Hong alchemy well, one Screw Well, one Huangdi-bestowed Chastity Pavilion, one Huaguang Dadi Temple, and more... More details about Yangpengtou Village ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units