The Qiantong Grand Ancestral Hall

The Qiantong Grand Ancestral Hall

The Qiantong Grand Ancestral Hall is a cultural heritage site protected by Ninghai County.

The Qiantong Grand Ancestral Hall is located at the northeast corner of Qiantong Village, at the eastern end of Qiantong Street. It is surrounded by residential houses on its east, west, and south sides, with Qiantong Street to the north.

The ancestral hall of the Tong clan in Qiantong was first built in the 18th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty. The overall layout extends from south to north and consists of the main gate, stage, courtyard, east and west wing rooms, and the main hall, forming an enclosed quadrangle courtyard. Two flagpole stands are installed at the entrance, and the main hall still retains the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. The main hall has a total width of 13.50 meters and a depth of 8.4 meters, featuring three bays and three lanes, with a mixed structure of wooden beam frames and post-and-lintel construction. The central bay uses a raised-beam style, while the other bays use post-and-lintel. The beams are crescent-shaped, and those in the secondary bays all have accompanying beams beneath them. The beams and accompanying beams are plain, and the intersections between the beams and columns in the front and rear are connected and supported by bracket arms (ding tou gong). The brackets used for the wall columns all feature cushion brackets, and the spandrels are in the shape of reclining silkworms. The roof structure has six rafters, with double-step beams in the front and rear supported by four columns. The structure tapers from top to bottom, the column tops are slightly tapered, and all are fitted with pedestal blocks. The central columns are 5.6 meters high, and the eave columns are 2.6 meters high, with round drum-shaped bases and inverted-basin pedestals. The renowned Ming Dynasty scholar Fang Xiaoru participated in the design, and the west wing room was once used as a memorial hall for Fang Xiaoru.

According to expert research, the architectural style seen in the Tong Clan Ancestral Hall originated in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, flourished during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and has been preserved here due to the area's remote location.