Shangfang and Zhongfang Ancestral Halls in Dai Village

Shangfang and Zhongfang Ancestral Halls in Dai Village

The Shangfang and Zhongfang Ancestral Halls in Dai Village are cultural tourism attractions.

Shangfang and Zhongfang Ancestral Halls in Dai Village

Dai Village in Minkou Town was once the site of the old county seat of ancient Yue’an County. With a long history, it was known in ancient times for natural and cultural landscapes such as “Silver Hills with Morning Clouds, Autumn Moon over Jikou, Distant Peaks of Ge Mountain, Verdant Screens of Danpu, Stone Traces of Immortal Steps, Yao Crossing Zen Temple, Eastern Tower’s Music, and Western School’s Reading Sounds,” all highlighting the lush mountains and beautiful waters of Dai Village, with picturesque scenery.

Shangfang Ancestral Hall is located in Middle-Upper Village, facing south with its back to the north. It is divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower Halls, with the top floor consisting of the first, second, and third levels. The corridors on both sides between the Front Hall and Middle Hall feature carved dragons coiling around pillars, and the various exquisitely detailed ancient carvings present a magnificent sight. The architecture of the Middle Hall is especially ingenious, with pillars made from premium materials such as camphor wood, sandalwood, zhu wood, and nanmu—extremely thick and truly imposing, with camphor wood beams so large that two people cannot encircle them with their arms. The stone pillars and steles around the rear hall’s courtyard are finely carved, with clear patterns and vividly depicted designs. The overall construction of the ancestral hall is massive in scale, exquisitely shaped, and grand in momentum. The hall is covered inside with bas-reliefs that are lifelike. All the carvings, colored paintings, and murals remain as vivid as new. Originally built during the Daoguang era, it covers a total area of about 1,400 square meters, including 1,100 square meters for the ancestral hall itself, which together with the 300-square-meter opera stage opposite forms an integrated complex of ancient architecture.

Zhongfang Ancestral Hall is located in Middle-Lower Village, also facing south with its back to the north. Also known as the Yan Ancestral Hall, it has existed for two hundred years since its initial construction and was renovated in the 11th year of the Daoguang era (i.e., 1830). Constructed with blue bricks, stones, and timber, it features a unique shape, fine craftsmanship, and painted beams and carved rafters. Especially eye-catching are the twenty giant blue stone pillars, meticulously hand-chiseled, which leave viewers in awe. The hall is filled with vivid, lifelike bas-reliefs of extraordinary value. On the stone railings of the rear hall’s courtyard, carvings of dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and birds display particularly clear textures. The overall architecture of the ancestral hall preserves the merits of ancestors throughout past dynasties and showcases the artistic dedication of master craftsmen, making it a grand project with exquisite design and majestic presence. All the carvings, colored paintings, and murals remain bright as new. It is an ancient ancestral hall that integrates “architecture, sculpture, arts and crafts, and literature.”