Hall of Reverence

Hall of Reverence

Located within a ancestral hall of the Hu clan in Xidi Village, the Hall of Reverence is rugged, ancient, majestic, and solemn, telling the history and glory of its time. Originally the residence of Shiheng, the 14th-generation ancestor of the Xidi Hu clan, it was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty but was later destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and expanded into an ancestral hall during the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of over 1,800 square meters. A stream flows around the hall. At the front is a decorative gateway with upturned eaves and corners, the central area houses a ceremonial hall, with a large skywell connecting the upper and lower courtyards. The left and right sides feature east and west corridors, supported by tall marble pillars. The rear section consists of a multi-story building, with the lower floor serving as a memorial hall for ancestors and parents, and the upper floor enshrining the spirit tablets of past generations. In the rear hall of the Hall of Reverence, there is a large character “Filial Piety” (孝) written by Zhu Xi, the great Neo-Confucian scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty. Upon closer inspection, this character blends calligraphy and painting, with imagery within the script and script within the image. As an ancestral hall, it has long served as a place for discussing clan affairs, as well as hosting weddings and disciplining unfilial descendants. On the upper courtyard of the central gate, there is also a brightly colored bridal sedan chair. One can imagine the scene of a delicate bride being carried to her husband’s home, the curtain lifted slightly, her head covered with a red cloth, taking delicate steps to pay respects to her parents-in-law — a delightful sight for visitors. Those interested may even sit in the sedan chair and take a colorful photo, experiencing what it feels like to be a bride, adding even more enjoyment to their trip. The Hall of Reverence has now been converted into the “Xidi Folk Customs Exhibition Hall.”

Xidi Village: Xidi Village is located at the southern foot of the Huangshan Mountain Range in eastern Anhui Province, in Dongyuan Township, Yixian County. It lies 8 kilometers east of the county town, with the road from Yixian to Tankou passing northwest of the village.

The ancient residences of Xidi are largely well-preserved, featuring an architectural style unique within the Huizhou tradition. The craftsmanship is exquisite, especially the “three carvings” (stone, wood, and brick carvings), with stone carving being particularly outstanding. These are not only valuable physical resources for studying Qing Dynasty residential architecture, but also important materials for researching the socio-economic patterns of Huizhou merchants, as well as the history of architecture and art since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is hailed as the “Museum of Ming and Qing Residential Architecture,” the “Treasury of Eastern Culture,” and the “Best-Preserved… Detailed Information on Xidi Village++