An's Family Ancestral Hall

An's Family Ancestral Hall

An's Family Ancestral Hall is a protected cultural heritage site of Tianjin Municipality.

An's Family Ancestral Hall is located at No. 2, Shiyiju Hutong, Guyi Street, Yangliuqing, Xiqing District, Tianjin, dating back to the Qing Dynasty.

The Yangliuqing An family ancestral temple was originally built in 1720 as a residence. In 1934, the building was converted into a family ancestral hall, and has since changed ownership several times. In 2001, the building was established as An's Ancestral Hall and approved by the People's Government of Xiqing District as a cultural heritage site of Xiqing District. In 2002, the People's Government of Tianjin Municipality carried out restoration work on the An's Ancestral Hall. On September 28, 2003, it became the Yangliuqing New Year Painting Gallery and opened to the public. A central passageway divides the courtyard into inner and outer sections. In the outer courtyard stands a stone stele inscribed with “Record of An’s Family Ancestral Hall,” erected in 1934 by An Wenzhong (courtesy name Jincheng), a descendant of the Yangliuqing An family. The text was composed by Wang Renwen, Governor of Sichuan, and calligraphy was done by Dai Wenxi of Yangliuqing. The reverse side of the stele features the seal script inscription “Enjoyment of Worship Unchanged,” while the front bears the regular script title “Record of An’s Family Ancestral Hall” in the style of Yan Zhenqing.

The Yangliuqing An family originally came from Shaoxing, Zhejiang. They traveled through Baoding, passed by Beijing, and eventually settled in Yangliuqing. By the time of the fifth-generation descendant An Ruizhang, the family fortunes had declined. An Ruizhang had four sons, the eldest of whom was An Wenzhong. This was during the time when Agubai launched a rebellion in the Xinjiang region, and the imperial court appointed Zuo Zongtang as Imperial Commissioner to oversee military affairs in Xinjiang. An Wenzhong followed the vanguard forces under Liu Jintang, providing daily supplies and helping reclaim lost territories in the northwest. He subsequently went into business in Xinjiang and gradually grew to become one of the most prominent merchants and gentry in the region. The stele text reads: “During the Guangxu era, when Liu Jintang pacified Xinjiang and recruited civilians to settle the frontier, few were willing to go. Jincheng alone stepped forward, declaring, ‘What joy can there be in staying idle at home, with no cheer for morning or evening? Why not devote oneself to the frontier, to expand our borders?’”

It was with the courage to “dare to be the first in the world” and the perseverance to “endure the greatest hardships” that An Wenzhong “traveled thousands of miles through the deserts, crossed the Tianshan Mountains and the Gobi to reach Ili... assessed the terrain, seized the opportunities, facilitated mutual trade, supported one another spiritually, observed local customs, and warned against deceit. Thus, he transformed the barren wilderness into a thriving town within ten years.” He ultimately pioneered a path to prosperity for the people of Yangliuqing who joined the Western Garrisons. The poor children in tattered clothes back then transformed into wealthy tycoons, becoming role models for the entire town to emulate and opening the door to trade between Yangliuqing and the western regions. On March 2, 1881, the Shen Bao newspaper published a report titled “Trading in Distant Lands”: “Many people from Yangliuqing, Tianjin, transport goods to trade in areas around Hami, commonly referred to as 'joining the great garrison,' which refers to the areas where General Zuo (Zuo Zongtang) stationed his troops. Travelers returning from Hami say that the land there is fertile, trade is convenient, and soldiers and civilians live in harmony, showing the strict discipline of General Zuo’s army.” That a newspaper as far away as Shanghai’s Shen Bao would publish such news speaks volumes about the significant impact of Yangliuqing’s people joining the western garrisons at the time.

In his later years, after returning to his hometown in glory, An Wenzhong, while actively engaging in local public welfare, considered that “as the clan grew, there was a fear that after a few generations, they would become strangers to one another. Thus, he detailed the genealogy and compiled a branch pedigree, so that future generations would not forget their origins.” He donated the front courtyard of his own residence to be converted into a family ancestral hall. In the “Record of An’s Family Ancestral Hall” stele, he provided a detailed description of all the arrangements and plans for the ancestral hall: “It was decided in the spring of the year Ming (1935) to rebuild the purchased tile-roofed house in Shiyiju Hutong, Yangliuqing, into a family ancestral hall. The plan included three main rooms facing north to enshrine ancestors of past generations; two wing rooms for gatherings during seasonal worship, communal meals, preserving the genealogy, and storing cultural relics. The scale would be modest, not extravagant, to exemplify frugality for future generations. Additionally, a plot of land on the north bank of the Ziya River, called Xiaobafen, covering over seven acres, would be allocated as the An family’s permanent sacrificial fields.”

Today, An's Ancestral Hall has largely restored its original architectural layout. The rise and fall of a family through turbulent times, along with its deep and extensive historical legacy, are all condensed within this weathered courtyard, making it a beautiful highlight of Yangliuqing, a historic and cultural town.

On January 5, 2013, it was announced by the People's Government of Tianjin Municipality as part of the fourth batch of Tianjin Cultural Heritage Protection Units.

Yangliuqing Town: Located at a strategic point near the capital, Yangliuqing Town is the seat of the Xiqing District government and serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of the district. The area lies in the western part of Tianjin, bordering Zhongbei Town and Yangliuqing Farm to the east, Zhangjiawo Town to the south, Xinkou Town to the southwest, Wuqing District to the northwest, and Beichen District to the north. It covers an area of 64 square kilometers, with a built-up town area of 13 square kilometers. The town government administers 25 administrative villages and 29 neighborhood committees, with a total population of 120,000, making it the largest township in Tianjin and the Bohai Economic Rim.

Yangliuqing Town is 16 kilometers from downtown Tianjin and ... More details about Yangliuqing Town++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Tianjin Cultural Heritage Protection Units