Wu Family Ancestral Hall at Qiaotou

Wu Family Ancestral Hall at Qiaotou

The Wu Family Ancestral Hall at Qiaotou is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The Wu Family Ancestral Hall is located in Jifeng Qiaotou Village, Xiejiatan Town, Poyang County. Well-preserved, it was built by descendants of Wu Taibo, who was praised by Sima Qian as the “foremost of noble houses.” The Jifeng Wu Family Ancestral Hall was constructed during the Ming Dynasty’s Chenghua era. Jifeng Qiaotou Village is over 70 kilometers from downtown Poyang. The Wu Family Ancestral Hall in Qiaotou Village is not only a precious cultural heritage for the Wu people of Poyang but also a valuable cultural treasure for the people of the county.

Jifeng Qiaotou Village is over 70 kilometers from the county seat and not far from Dongzhi County in Anhui Province and Duchang County in Jiujiang City. It is a typical mountain village in northern Poyang, surrounded by dense forests, undulating loess hills, crisscrossing fields, and lush greenery all around. The Wu Family Ancestral Hall faces south and backs north, enclosed by high walls, and is a classic, enclosed-style, Jiangnan-style building constructed of brick and wood. Stone carvings above the gate such as “Songshuyuan Jifeng,” “Wu Family Ancestral Hall,” “Rite Gate,” and “Righteous Path” feature bold, well-preserved, and striking characters.

In Poyang, known as the “Lake City of China,” the Wu surname is both common and ancient. Most members of the Wu clan are descendants of Shaozi Hong, the third son of King Fuchai of Wu, who was the 22nd-generation descendant of Wu Taibo, sharing the same lineage as the Wu families of ancient Huizhou. The areas of Youdun Street and Xiejiatan in northern Poyang are densely populated by the Wu clan, where nearly every village once had a Wu Family Ancestral Hall. Due to the passage of time, damage from wars and natural forces, as well as a lack of maintenance by villagers, most ancestral halls have either collapsed or been demolished for other uses. Only a handful of Wu Family Ancestral Halls remain today, and those that are well-preserved are exceedingly rare.

The Wu Family Ancestral Hall at Jifeng Qiaotou still belongs to the Huizhou architectural style, with intact white walls and black tiles, and parapet walls over ten feet high, giving it a majestic presence. Aside from two small windows on the outer wall of the main gate, there are no windows on the other sides. There are side gates on the east and west, but the current entrance is through the west side gate, while the main gate remains locked and access is strictly managed. The wooden carvings, stone carvings, and brick carvings inside the hall are exquisitely detailed, with bright paintwork covering various walls, pillars, and beams, all well-preserved. The figures are lively and expressive, with vivid eyes, while flowers, plants, and landscapes are arranged harmoniously and look remarkably lifelike. It seems that every piece of carving tells the story of an ancestor, evoking reverence and quiet contemplation as we gaze upon them. Especially notable are the vortex-shaped bracket sets above the central hall and the stage, which feature innovative designs, unique shapes, and exquisite craftsmanship, truly astounding. For this reason, the “Architectural Artistry of the Wu Family Ancestral Hall at Jifeng Qiaotou” has been listed in the “Poyang County Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Catalog.”

Xiejiatan Town: Xiejiatan Town is a key town in the northern part of Poyang, bordering the Jiujiang–Jingdezhen Expressway to the south, neighboring Dongzhi County in Anhui Province to the north, and situated in the golden triangle area between Nanchang, Jiujiang, and Jingdezhen. Provincial Road Bishi runs through the town, while the Xiepeng Line (Xietan – Pengze in Jiujiang) with its cement pavement extends across the entire area. The Xih River meanders through the town and flows into Poyang Lake. It is 60 kilometers from Jingdezhen Airport and 150 kilometers from Changbei Airport, offering very convenient transportation. The town covers a total area of 227 square kilometers, with 13,000 households, nearly 70,000 residents, and currently administers 22 administrative villages, 1 neighborhood committee, 344 villager groups, and 3 forest farms. The arable land area exceeds 54,000... More details about Xiejiatan Town++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units