Baixiang Chen Family Top-Scorer Ancestral Hall

Baixiang Chen Family Top-Scorer Ancestral Hall

The Baixiang Chen Family Top-Scorer Ancestral Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

Baixiang Chen Family Top-Scorer Ancestral Hall

The Baixiang Top-Scorer Ancestral Hall is a branch of the Yingchuan Chen family. It was originally built during the Ming Dynasty’s Jiajing era by Chen Liang and later reconstructed in the 44th year of the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong reign, when it was named Dexin Hall, also known as Ruifeng Ancestral Hall. Oriented toward the Ren Mountain and Bing direction, it covers a construction area of 2,000 square meters. The structure features three halls aligned east to west, flanked by corridors on both sides, with twelve connected side rooms on each of the left and right wings.

The main hall enshrines the spirit tablets of Chen Yan, who achieved the title of Top-Scorer in the Song Dynasty and was appointed Vice Minister of Rites; his wife, Lady Lu; the fifth-generation ancestor Wenxuan Gong, posthumously honored as Minister and awarded by imperial decree, and his wife, Lady Wu; the ancestor Chen Liang, who served as Chief Clerk of Taihe County and was recognized for his meritorious service, and his wife, Madam Kuang; as well as the ancestor Chao Fu, honored for his virtuous conduct, filial piety, and integrity, and his wife, Madam Fang. Chen Yan was the founding ancestor of the Guding Quanxi Chen family in Huaihua County (now Mingxi).

Top-Scorer Chen Yan was the eldest son of Chen Shiqing of the Gongchuan Chen family—known for the saying “nine sons, ten successful in the imperial exams”—and the eldest son of Chen Shiqing, who served as Minister of Personnel in the Song Dynasty. He ranked third in the imperial examination under the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song in the 5th year of Xianping (1002), under the Wang Hui list. He was promoted from Prefect of Haizhou to Vice Director of the Ministry of War, eventually serving as Vice Minister of Rites, and was posthumously honored as Minister.

The descendants of Chen Yan have multiplied and flourished, spanning over forty generations to date, with offspring spread across regions including Mingxi, Qingliu, Ninghua, Jiangle, Longyan, Tingzhou, Zhangzhou, and Quanzhou.