The He Clan Ancestral Temple in Zongyang

The He Clan Ancestral Temple in Zongyang

The He Clan Ancestral Temple in Zongyang is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The He Clan Ancestral Temple, also known as the Qing Shan He Clan Ancestral Hall or the "Dunmu Hall", is located in Ye Village in the southern part of Daqingshan Village (formerly Hezuzhuang Village), Zongyang Town. It faces south with its back to the north, overlooking a high ridge, backed by the Fei’e Mountain and Daqingshan; to the east, it is flanked protectively by Fosi Ridge; to the west, the undulating Brush Rack Mountain and Coiling Dragon Mountain frame the view, while streams from Daqingshan flow past the front of the temple and converge into the Divine Spirit Lake: to the southeast, the steep Dao Mountain seals the water outlet. Five li further out, Shijiutou and Zhongshan encircle the area, also sealing off the waterway leading to the Yangtze River. The “He Clan Ancestral Temple” can be described as surrounded by mountains and waters, enclosed within layers of protective landforms. As a result, ancestors of several generations believed this to be the most auspicious site.

The “He Clan Ancestral Temple” was first built in the autumn of 1771 (the year of Xinyou in the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty) and completed in its decoration and construction by 1773. In terms of architectural art, it ingeniously integrates wood, stone, and brick carvings with the structure itself, demonstrating exquisite craftsmanship and flexibility. Remarkably well-preserved, it is currently the only ancestral hall building in Anhui Province that is still extant and named as a “clan ancestral temple”, enriching the typology of ceremonial architecture.

In 1943, the administrative offices of the Tongnan District Anti-Japanese Democratic Government were once housed here; in 1949, during the Crossing-the-Yangtze Campaign, a detachment under the Third Corps of the Second Field Army set up its command post here, highlighting the building’s rich historical significance. After the liberation, under the arrangement of He Zicheng, then Deputy County Magistrate of Zongyang County, and in order to protect the ancestral hall from being demolished, the “He Clan Ancestral Temple” was temporarily used as the school building for “Qingshan Primary School”, enabling the ancestral hall to survive the wave of ancestral hall demolitions in 1958. During the Cultural Revolution, although the main framework was preserved, many exquisite ancient architectural features—such as door pillars, stone drums, plaques, and carvings—were destroyed as part of the campaign against the “Four Olds”. In April 2006, the He Clan of Qingshan established the “Ancestral Hall Restoration Committee” to renovate the ancestral hall. They acquired 1.16 mu of land for constructing roads and bridges, and an additional 0.504 mu to expand the area in front of the temple into a square. After four years and a cost of one million yuan, the restoration was finally completed by the Winter Solstice of 2009.

Protected Area: 10 meters beyond the wall foundation on the east, south, west, and north sides.

Construction Control Zone: 20 meters beyond the protected area on the east, south, west, and north sides.

Address: Ye Village in the southern part of Daqingshan Village (formerly Hezuzhuang Village), Zongyang Town

Daqingshan Village: Daqingshan Village is located in the northeast of Zongyang County and was formed by the merger of the former Jiulong, Hezuzhuang, and Qiaotou villages. Nestled among Guoqiao, Wuyi, Gutang, and Qinglong villages, it is widely renowned for its beautiful mountains and clear waters. The village has 35 villager groups with over 700 farmsteads nestled against the hillsides. Two “village-to-village” roads run through the area, connecting to Huangshi Road. Over 8,000 mu of mountain land and more than 2,500 mu of fertile farmland complement each other, forming a picturesque rural scene. The famous Daqingshan “Jiulong Nunnery”, “Baiyi Nunnery”, and the newly restored “He Clan Ancestral Hall” showcase a scenic tourism route… More information on Daqingshan Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Anqing City