Ancestral Hall of the Han Clan

Ancestral Hall of the Han Clan

The Ancestral Hall of the Han Clan is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Ancestral Hall of the Han Clan in Yi County is located in Wancun Village, Hongcun Town, Yi County, and was built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It is 39 meters deep, 22 meters wide, and covers an area of approximately 850 square meters, making it grand in scale and solemn in atmosphere. The hall is divided into three sections: the upper hall is a three-story ancestral worship hall, the middle hall serves as the main ceremonial space, and the lower hall is an open-fronted chamber. The structure is built with the front lower than the back and features two courtyards with stone-paved floors. The stone pillars on the east and west sides do not touch the walls. In front of the hall lies a small pond, commonly known as the “Embroidered Ball.” The entire structure resembles a “lion crouching on the ground rolling an embroidered ball.”

The interior features bracket sets with double jumps and five tiers, large curved beams shaped like spindles, and forked supports on either side of the ridge posts adorned with rolled floral patterns. The flat tray brackets are carved with upward-facing lotus petals, all exquisitely detailed. Bracket sets around the courtyards are layered and stacked, creating a majestic and spectacular appearance. The entire ancestral hall has 99 pillars, with beams made from gingko and zhu trees. Despite being over 400 years old, there are no cobwebs, which is considered quite remarkable. Horizontal beams are hung with plaques commemorating academic and official honors such as “Dragon Among Men in Prosperous Times,” “Virtuous Deeds and Deep Grace,” “Esteemed Scholar of Shushan,” “Renowned Across the Region,” “Longevity Like Chess,” and “Inner Cabinet Scribe,” showcasing a magnificent display that reflects the diligence, wisdom, and artistic creativity of the ancient laboring people.

Protected area: 20 meters in all directions (east, south, west, and north).

Construction control zone: 20 meters beyond the protected area in all directions (east, south, west, and north).

Hongcun Town: Located at the southern foot of Huangshan Mountain, Hongcun Town is just 29 kilometers from the southern gate of Huangshan Scenic Area and 60 kilometers from Huangshan Airport, offering very convenient transportation. It currently administers 21 villages and 142 villager groups, covering an area of 187.1 square kilometers, with a permanent resident population of over 20,000 and a floating population of 5,000. The area features overlapping mountains, lush forests and bamboo, clear streams, and pleasant scenery. It has 14,318 hectares of forest, with a forest coverage rate of 77%. It is now recognized as an Environmentally Beautiful Town in Huangshan City, an Ecological Civilization Town in Huangshan City, and an Environmental Education Base in Anhui Province.

The area is dotted with numerous... More details about Hongcun Town++