The Kang Ancestral Hall in Shen'ao

The Kang Ancestral Hall in Shen’ao

The Kang Ancestral Hall in Shen’ao is a cultural relics protection unit of Guangdong Province.

The Kang Ancestral Hall in Nan’ao County, a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit, is located at No. 107 Xinxijie, Shen’ao Town, Nan’ao County. It was built in the fifth year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1800) by brothers Kang Yaode and Kang Yaomei, the fifth-generation ancestors of the Kang family in Nan’ao, who were known as the “Kang Millionaires of Nan’ao.” The hall is named “Yude Hall.”

The Kang Ancestral Hall (locally called the Kangcuo Ancestral Hall) is not only one of the existing ancient buildings on the island, but also a testament to the once-flourishing prominence of the Kang family, and it conceals the legendary rags-to-riches story of its owner, the “Kang Millionaire.”

The Kang Ancestral Hall consists of a main structure with three courtyards, flanked by wing rooms, a rear hall, as well as an entrance courtyard, a stage, and a study. On the left side of the entrance courtyard stands a flagpole base inscribed with “Imperial Advisory Official.” The main building has a depth of 54.6 meters and a width of 28 meters, while the entrance courtyard along with the stage extends 42 meters in depth and 28 meters in width. The beams and eaves on both sides of the second courtyard gate feature exquisite stone carvings. There are a pair of oilstone drums renowned across nine counties, and an upside-down hollow carved stone flower basket hanging from the eaves. Inside the second courtyard gate are exquisitely lacquered and gilded wooden beams. Between the second and third courtyards, the walls of the corridors display eight stone engravings of moral maxims — “Loyalty, Filial Piety, Fraternity, Respect, Righteousness, Propriety, Integrity, and Modesty” — authored by Kang Yiming, the 20th place scholar in the second class of the 1801 (Xinyou Year) Imperial Examination from Yuechi, Sichuan. The beams and pillars of the third courtyard’s main hall and the worship pavilion are adorned with finely crafted gold-lacquered wood carvings. It is the largest and most completely preserved mid-Qing Dynasty ancestral hall in Nan’ao County. Having survived the strong earthquake of magnitude 7.25 in July 1918, its architectural structure remains intact to this day.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units