Heyitang

Heyitang

Heyitang is a cultural relic protection unit in Anhui Province.

“Heyitang,” also known as “Wufeng Tower” or “Shengji Hall,” is actually a Wang family ancestral hall. It is now a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in Anhui. “Heyitang,” also called “Wufeng Tower” or “Shengji Hall,” is in fact the Wang family ancestral hall. A local saying goes: “None grander than ‘Zhenyi’ (Hall), none more ornate than ‘Weiyi’ (Hall), none taller than ‘Heyitang’ (Hall).” Here, “taller” refers to architectural rank, which shows how highly regarded “Heyitang” was at the time.

The architectural style of “Heyitang” is very distinctive. The entire main hall is supported by 120 pillars and divided into three sections. The stone and wood carvings inside the hall all demonstrate exquisite craftsmanship. The stone slabs around the courtyard are carved with images of Vajra warriors and floral patterns, raised in high relief. The whole ancestral hall is majestic, grand, and solemn. Because the four corners of the ceremonial gate roof curl upwards and are decorated with fish-scale patterns that resemble fish tails, with four ridges connected together like an old phoenix leading four fledglings soaring through the sky, it is thus named Wufeng Tower (“Five Phoenix Tower”).

It is worth mentioning that the pair of drum-shaped stone pedestals carved from white marble in front of the ceremonial gate are exquisitely beautiful. They are engraved with patterns such as “dragons and lions playing with a ball,” “a qilin delivering a child,” “a heavenly steed galloping,” and “an ao dragon churning the sea.” Legend has it that these were bestowed by Emperor Jiajing, adding even more solemnity and mystery to the ancestral hall.

Protected area: 6 meters to the east, south, west, and north beyond the cultural relic itself.

Construction control zone: 20 meters to the east, south, west, and north beyond the protected area.

Address: Lixi Village, Penglong Township, Qimen County