Gongguo Xu Clan Ancestral Hall

Gongguo Xu Clan Ancestral Hall

The Gongguo Xu Clan Ancestral Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The Gongguo Xu Clan Ancestral Hall is located in Yanshan County and dates back to the "sixth year of the Yongzheng reign (1728)."

The Xu Clan Ancestral Hall was originally built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign (1728), led by Xu Zongtang (a Jinshi scholar who served as the education intendant of Pingxiang) and Xu Zongwan, the entire clan contributed efforts to renovate the ancestral hall. Some of the original wooden pillars were replaced with stone ones, the foundation area was expanded, establishing its current layout. During the mid-period of the Republic of China, the Kuomintang’s Third War Zone used the ancestral hall as military premises. In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, the ancestral hall served as a classroom for the village primary school until 1986 when it was vacated after the construction of new school buildings. After the primary school moved out, the ancestral hall gradually fell into disuse due to lack of occupancy. In 2007, descendants of the Xu family, adhering to the principle of “restoring the old as it was,” pooled funds to renovate the ancestral hall once again.

The ancestral hall features grey brick exterior walls, painted white inside and out, with three-tiered hip-and-gable walls on both sides. The interior consists of a courtyard, two courtyards in sequence, and one central skylight, with six pillars and five bays. The main gate is framed with locally sourced bluish-grey stone, with a plaque inscribed “Xu Clan Ancestral Hall” embedded above.

Upon entering, there is an open-air courtyard with a pathway leading to the front hall. The front hall has a double-sloped roof with yin-yang tiles, while the middle hall features octagonal stone pillars at the front eaves, resting on square carved column bases. The spandrels between the beams are carved with floral patterns, and there are also intricately carved diagonal braces. The front porch adopts the “single incense branch” style, with circular stone pillars in the central bay using a reduced-pillar construction method, five-rafter lifting beams, and three couplets of running regular script carved in low relief on the stone pillars. The calligraphy is bold, with the content reading: “As an envoy, he was revered for his exemplary conduct; the gift of a sword vied with that of Ji Zha of Wu. Honoring the virtuous, he extended hospitality as Chen Fan of the Han did with straw mats. The temple’s appearance is renewed, may generations continue in unbroken succession like the creeping vine. The grand hall thrives, recalling the illustrious spirits of our ancestors recorded at Hehu. The mountain range connects to Ehu Lake, where the talents of the Seven Masters shine as brightly as the Northern Dipper. The family’s reputation matches the noble lineage of the Six Dynasties, with literary prestige weighing heavily in the Southern Region.” These couplets recount themes such as the noble anecdotes of Xu Ruzi, an ancestor of the Xu family, the virtuous legacy of Yongsheng, an ancestor of “Hehu,” and the glorious deeds of the seven talented individuals from the Xu lineage during the Six Dynasties.

The side bays use post-and-lintel wooden structures, while the end bays are enclosed with wooden walls to form the main rooms. The carvings between the beams are extremely luxurious, mostly floral designs, with rafters often supported by dougong brackets and decorated with cloud plates. The side chambers have single-sloped roofs facing inward, covered with small grey tiles. Behind the central skylight on both sides are cross alleys, with doorways in the sidewalls for access. The rear hall, also called the “East Sea Hall,” features three bold and vigorous characters.

The front eaves pillars are circular stone ones, resting on square carved column bases. The front porch still uses the “single incense branch” style, with reduced pillars in the central bay, five-rafter lifting beams, and three more couplets of running regular script carved on the stone pillars. The content reads: “The legacy of the East Sea is intimately inherited from our ancestors; the virtues of the North City flourish through literary refinement. Remembering the hospitality of the Han emperor, we praise the worthy; for founding the lineage, the rewards of the Ming era are remembered. Recounting ancestral virtues and praising clan merits, we pray for enduring blessings and a continuous lineage like the cypress and the shade. Entering the gate of rites and following the path of righteousness, we connect with our forebears and elevate the family’s reputation at Hehu.” At the back of the rear hall, the middle section of the rear step frame holds a shrine, enshrining statues of Xu Ruzi and other founding ancestors.

The Gongguo Xu family has produced many historical figures. During the Qing Dynasty, there were Xu Zongtang and Xu Guangqi, who were licentiate-degree holders, as well as 11 xiucai (scholarship holders): Xu Tingbian, Xu Tingying, Xu Qingxi, Xu Zhaoying, Xu Yingsheng, Xu Yingjing, Xu Shigang, Xu Yingquan, Xu Bangwu, Xu Bangzhu, Xu Guangqi, Xu Tingyao, and Xu Tingyu. During the Republic of China period, there was Xu Baqun, one of the “Four Great Talents of Yanshan” and the first principal of Ehu Middle School, as well as Xu Guangyu, a member of the Yanshan County Consultative Conference and head of the Shitang District. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the area continued to produce many talented individuals.

The Xu Clan Ancestral Hall is situated south of Gongguo Village, facing northwest, with a width of 17.36 meters, a depth of 35.9 meters, covering an area of over 1,200 square meters, and a construction area of 623 square meters. Its architectural structure is simple yet majestic, with exquisite wood carvings that are both refined and graceful.

In June 2014, the Xu Clan Ancestral Hall was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units