Ruzhou An

Ruzhou An

Ruzhou An is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Fujian Province.

Ruzhou An is located in Daru Village, Jiyang Township, Datian County, dating back to the Qing Dynasty.

Description: Originally built in the 16th year of the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing reign (1537) and rebuilt in the 6th year of the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong reign (1741), it is a combined temple and ancestral hall structure. Facing southeast and situated northwest, the overall layout integrates residential and temple architectural features, with a total width of 15 meters and a total depth of 13 meters, covering an area of 195 square meters. It consists of a Fengshui Pavilion connected to a semi-arc wall, a rammed earth inner courtyard, and the main hall. The main hall has three bays in width and four columns in depth, featuring a mixed post-and-lintel and Dougong (bracket arm) structural style, with a main shrine and auxiliary shrines. On the right side of the main hall lies an auxiliary hall divided into three shrines: the central one enshrines the God of Earth, while the auxiliary shrines use post-and-lintel construction. The roof is densely covered with sheathing boards. Though the overall area is small, the construction is grand in scale and the decoration is simple and unadorned. It was initially built during the late Song and early Yuan dynasties (the four main square pillars have upturned basin-style bases); it was rebuilt in the 16th year of the Ming Jiajing reign (1537) and renovated again in the 4th year of the Qing Qianlong reign (1739).

Protective boundary: The area extends 20 meters outward from all sides of the building.

In 2018, Ruzhou An was designated as part of the ninth batch of provincial-level cultural heritage sites by the People’s Government of Fujian Province.

Daru Village: Located in the southeastern part of Jiyang Township, Datian County, Daru Village is 16 kilometers from the township government. The village has a total population of 1,349 people, comprising five natural villages and 14 villager groups. It currently has 33 formal Party members, 2 probationary members, 4 active applicants, and a Village Committee consisting of 6 members. The land area spans 11,000 mu, including 600 mu of arable land, 8,000 mu of forestland, and 3,500 mu of ecological conservation forest, with a forest coverage rate of 60%.

The main economic activities of villagers are agriculture and migrant work, with migrant workers accounting for 75% of the total population, mostly distributed in Dewai, Yong… More detailed information about Daru Village++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites in Fujian Province