The Wang Ancestral Hall of Huatang

The Wang Ancestral Hall of Huatang

The Wang Ancestral Hall of Huatang is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Period: Ming to Qing Dynasty

Address: Huatang Village, Jinting Town, Shengzhou City, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province

The ancestral hall consists of two parts: the Main Ancestral Hall and the New Ancestral Hall. The Main Ancestral Hall was first built in the seventh year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1512 AD) to enshrine Wang Qiong and his wife, the 36th-generation descendants of Wang Xizhi. The building faces south and covers an area of approximately 1,800 square meters. Huatang Village is a settlement of the Wang clan, and the Wang Ancestral Hall of Huatang holds significant importance for the study of Wang family culture.

The first hall of the Shaoxing Huatang Wang Ancestral Hall houses the spirit tablets of the 36th-generation ancestor of the Wang clan and his spouse, Lady Shi. Between the first and second halls are two-story side rooms. The second hall enshrines a statue of Wang Xizhi and the spirit tablets of Wang clan ancestors. The shrine hall of the Shaoxing Huatang Wang Ancestral Hall was built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. To the south is an ancient stage, facing north, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. It has a square floor plan, with each side measuring 4.5 meters and an overall height of 6 meters. The stage floor is 1.7 meters high. The tops of the four corner pillars support horizontal beams, and carved floral moon beams span between the pillars below. The interior ceiling features a decorative panel painted with figures, flowers, plants, and bamboo-and-rock motifs, with a spiderweb-shaped caisson set in the center.

In May 2013, it was included in the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units