The Hua Family Ancestral Hall in Huangbi

The Hua Family Ancestral Hall in Huangbi

The Hua Family Ancestral Hall in Huangbi is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Located in the western part of She Village, Huangbi She Ethnic Township, Yanshan County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, the Hua Family Ancestral Hall was first built in the year Dingyou of the Daoguang era (1837). It was jointly established by three individuals — an uncle and his two nephews (Hua Rixin (of the Kyōichi lineage), who became a Jinshi in the 24th year of Daoguang and served as the Jiangsu Circuit Provincial Administration Commissioner, holding the second-rank official position; Hua Zhusan, who became a Jinshi in the 27th year of Daoguang, served as the Xining Prefect with the additional title of Provincial Administration Commissioner, a third-rank official; Hua Lisan, who was also a Jinshi and served as the Magistrate of Anhua County in Gansu) — who together constructed this grand and imposing ancestral hall to showcase their family’s glory.

The Hua Family Ancestral Hall covers a construction area of 1,247 square meters and is laid out along a central east-west axis. The main gate bears a plaque inscribed with the four large characters “Hua Family Ancestral Hall.” Eighty thick wooden pillars support this magnificent and spacious structure. The ancestral hall is divided into a front hall, a middle hall, and a main hall. The upper hall serves as the main ancestral worship space, originally housing the spirit tablets of the clan’s ancestors; the middle hall functions as the ceremonial hall where worship rituals were conducted; the front hall was used for music performances. During major clan events such as genealogy revisions or ancestor worship ceremonies, theatrical performances could also be held on the stage inside the hall, with a capacity of over 200 spectators below. When members of the clan got married, the bride was required to alight from her sedan chair at the ancestral hall and pay respects to heaven, earth, and the ancestors.

The layout of the Hua Family Ancestral Hall is square-shaped, facing south with a slight westward orientation of 44 degrees. It includes a front courtyard, front hall, front patio, middle hall, rear patio, main hall, and a right-side corridor.

The ground of the front courtyard is paved with cobblestones, and the walls are built from stone slabs. Seven flagpole bases remain, all inscribed with characters from the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang era such as “Erected by a Provincial Graduate” and “Erected by a Jinshi.”

The front hall is a three-bay, fourth-rank structure, with beams and architraves intricately carved with cloud and scroll motifs, displaying considerable elegance.

The entrance hall of the ancestral hall is a three-bay, fourth-rank structure. Its walls are built as reclining cloud walls, higher in the center and slightly lower on the sides. The architraves are densely adorned with brackets, while the upturned eaves feature ornamental ridge beasts. The main gate is divided into left, middle, and right sections, with a pair of large drum stones placed in the center. Side doors are located symmetrically on the side walls. After entering the entrance hall, there is a large patio paved with cobblestones. This hall uses grand materials, giving it an imposing and majestic appearance.

The middle hall serves as the ceremonial worship space. The central bay features a plaque inscribed with the text: “Since ancient times, the Qin Pass has ranked among the Three Peaks; the filial son of the Southern Qi Dynasty was adept at governance.” The left and right walls bear Zhu Xi’s calligraphy of the four characters “Loyalty, Filial Piety, Integrity, and Chastity.” The walls are decorated with a mixture of glutinous rice paste and gypsum powder, giving them the appearance of blue brick. The ceremonial hall is 25 meters wide, 7.6 meters deep, and 7 meters high, covering an area of 190 square meters. On both sides of the patio are connected corridors, each featuring flower windows decorated with jade-green porcelain, exuding luxury and elegance.

In 2005, the Hua Family Ancestral Hall was listed as one of the first batch of cultural relic protection units in Shangrao City.

Huangbi She Ethnic Township: A township under the jurisdiction of Yanshan County. It is the main production area for timber and bamboo in the county. Established as the Huangbi Forest Farm in 1973 and reorganized as a township in 1984, it is located in the southern part of the county, upstream of the Yangcun River. It borders Siqian Township of Guangze County, Fujian Province to the west, and Sangan Township of Jianyang County, Fujian Province to the south, and is 48 kilometers from the county seat. The township covers an area of 81 square kilometers and has a population of 4,000. The township government is located in Huangbi. The Yong (Ping)–Huang (Bi) Highway runs through the central area. It administers three village committees: Huangbi, Dongshan, and Zhongcun, as well as two forest farms: Dayan and Huangbi. The Yangcun River flows northward. Forested land accounts for over 70% of the total land area of the township. The main crops grown along the river valleys include rice, corn,… More detailed information about Huangbi She Ethnic Township ++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province