Diao Yuan Ancestral Hall

Diao Yuan Ancestral Hall

Diao Yuan Ancestral Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Diao Yuan Ancestral Hall (including the Ouyang WenZhonggong Ancestral Hall in Diao Yuan, the Lǐpài Ancestral Hall in Diao Yuan, and the Zhōngjié Dì Memorial Archway)

Ouyang Clan Ancestral Hall

The Ouyang Clan Ancestral Hall is located at the entrance of Diao Yuan Village, covering an area of 1,200 square meters. The main structure features Qing Dynasty architectural style and faces south while backing north. In front lies a roughly 30-square-meter open courtyard, where there once stood a memorial archway built from granite blocks. On the east side of the ancestral hall, there were once auxiliary buildings such as the “Chongwen Academy.” The structural highlight of the Ouyang Clan Ancestral Hall is its “品” (pronounced “pǐn,” meaning “quality”) shaped courtyard layout. The large central courtyard beneath the front hall, along with the smaller courtyards on either side of the upper hall, are all square-shaped, together forming a large “品” character. The eaves above the three courtyards also form a “品” shape.

Wen Zhonggong Ancestral Hall

The Wen Zhonggong Ancestral Hall is located in the center of the ancient Diao Yuan Village. Originally built in the late Northern Song Dynasty, this ancestral hall has undergone multiple renovations during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. It features a front corridor over 30 meters long adorned with a decorative archway topped with a precious roof, and includes inner courtyards, corridors, connected pavilions, and halls.

The ancient buildings of Diao Yuan Village also feature wood carvings, stone carvings, wood engravings, stone engravings, painted decorations, and gilded calligraphy paintings. Examples include the gilded artworks “Seeking Virtuous Talent by the Wei River” and “Pursuing Wealth and Longevity.” The vermilion-colored, gilded, carved-bed frames displayed in various homes are decorated with motifs such as the Qilin delivering a child, magpies perched on plum blossoms, the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, and bamboo-joint plum blossom patterns.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units