The Transcendent Ancestral Hall

The Transcendent Ancestral Hall

The Transcendent Ancestral Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

The “Transcendent Ancestral Hall” is the ancestral temple of the Deng clan in Juzhou. It is located in the Xiajuzhou group of Juzhou Village, Gaofu Town. Built in the Gengwu year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1750 AD), it was constructed under the leadership of Xing Shier, who held the official title of Xiuzhi Lang at the time. After more than 250 years, only the front hall and three walls remain.

The front façade of the hall is an 8-meter-high wall featuring three gates—central, left, and right. The central gate is square, while the side gates are arched. Above the central gate is a stone carving of the four large characters “超然公祠” (Transcendent Ancestral Hall). Above these characters, vertically inscribed, are the words “恩荣” (Imperial Favor), bestowed by the royal family. On either side of these two characters are three relief stone panels carved with dragons, phoenixes, qilins, cranes, deer, fish, as well as flowers and plants—symbolizing prosperity, wealth, longevity, happiness, and abundance, representing “having more than enough every year.” On either side of the gate inscription “超然公祠,” there are stone carvings of high-ranking officials, symbolizing the clan’s success in official careers and the emergence of numerous dignitaries—actually reflecting that two fifth-rank officials came from this clan. Below the gate title, above the central door, is a stone-carved cloud pattern, among which three protruding dowels are uniquely presented, rarely seen in other ancestral halls, signifying the clan’s prominence. All three gate frames are made from single pieces of stone. The central square gate has inscriptions on both sides that read: “派衍三三源流长诉堂前水，云蒸六六小大群宗第一峰,” meaning the clan’s lineage flows ceaselessly like the Juzhou River before the hall, having reached its 33rd generation, and stands as the most prosperous branch among the thirty-six or so varying sizes of Deng family lineages, akin to peaks of different heights. The two smaller side gates are inscribed with the four characters “存爱” (Cultivate Love) and “著悫” (Demonstrate Sincerity).

Due to the clan’s long history of hardship, it began to prosper during the Qianlong era, hence the name “Transcendent Ancestral Hall,” inspired by the idea of “facing challenges with equanimity.” The hall is 16 meters wide and 32 meters deep, consisting of upper, middle, and lower halls, and remained well-preserved before the Cultural Revolution. The most valuable surviving part today is the gate tower of the hall.