The Xia Family Ancestral Hall in Beifang

The Xia Family Ancestral Hall in Beifang

The Xia Family Ancestral Hall in Beifang is a cultural heritage site protected by Xinjian District.

Era: Ming Dynasty

Type: Ancient Architecture

Address: Beifang Village, Houtian Township, Xinjian County, Jiangxi Province

Introduction:

This ancestral hall is situated at the head of Beifang Village, approximately one li north of Houtian Street. It has a front and rear section with a central courtyard, and employs a composite wooden frame structure combining raised beams and through-tenon joinery. The rear hall is the main structure, featuring a depth of nine meters and primarily supported by seven fir wood pillars spaced just 1.4 meters apart. The pillar bases are fitted with octagonal stone caps to prevent moisture, though some base foundations have already worn down. The entire ancestral hall measures 22.4 meters in depth and 15 meters in width. The space between the rear hall’s central pillars is 6.2 meters wide and 7 meters high. The hall is enclosed by tightly built fireproof gable walls on all sides, with iron hangers added to the gables. The right-side wall shows signs of tilting.

Houtian Township: [Overview] Houtian Township — the hometown of Zhou Xuejian, Minister of War during the Qing Dynasty. The township covers an area of 77.4 square kilometers, comprising 18 administrative villages, 1 forest farm, and 77 natural villages, with a total population of 23,231. In 1999, it achieved a gross domestic product of 97.27 million yuan and generated 17.33 million yuan in profits and taxes. Located in the southwestern part of Xinjian County, Houtian Township sits at the junction of Xinjian County, Nanchang County, and Fengcheng City. Both the Changzhang Expressway and the Wenhuan Expressway intersect within the township, running through its entirety and featuring interchanges. It is 30 kilometers from Changbei Airport and borders the Gan River to the east… More detailed information about Houtian Township++