Sixu Hall

Sixu Hall

Sixu Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Shantou City.

Located at No. 37 Nanzhong Road, Chengnan Subdistrict, Chaoyang District, Sixu Hall is the only well-preserved ancient Song Dynasty building in Chaoyang, serving as an extremely valuable and historically significant structure. It dates back to the Song Dynasty and falls under the category of ancient architecture.

In the 1990s, with the attention of government agencies at all levels in Chaoyang, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, and cultural departments, as well as experts in ancient architecture from the Provincial Cultural Relics Office who conducted a comprehensive survey of "Sixu Hall," it was confirmed that Sixu Hall is a rare surviving ancient Song Dynasty building in Chaoyang, the only remaining ancient local school, and holds significant value in terms of local cultural customs and historical research. It fully reflects the high-level ancient architectural artistry left by ancestral craftsmen, integrating the outstanding cultural and artistic achievements of various trades such as woodwork, stonework, earthenware, clay modeling, sculpture, lacquerwork, painting, and more. In 1996, it was approved as a cultural relic protection unit. With strong support from government agencies, the Cultural Relics Office, ancient architecture experts, and the voluntary contributions of the Xiao clan, meticulous measurements of the internal structure were carried out, designs were drawn, and repeated verifications were made. Technical guidance was also sought from provincial cultural management experts and ancient architecture professionals. The restoration project spanned over three years before completion.

Structure

Covering an area of over 2,000 square meters, the majestic ancient ancestral hall complex follows the original orientation and is laid out in a "Xing" (prosperity) character formation. It retains the original design, dimensions, and a central axis symmetry featuring three connected side halls and a three-courtyard main hall, with a turtle-step seal formation. The layout includes three connected courtyards, paired left and right dragon-tiger wells, one front courtyard in the official hall, and a three-tiered turtle-seal stepped design leading up to the elevated platform and terrace in front of the hall. Flanking wings contain various halls and rooms, interconnected and arranged in a multi-courtyard palatial structure. The roof follows the old design, adorned with uniquely imperial dragon-headed ridges complemented by intricately molded shell lime sculptures. The interior features Song-style bracket sets atop Tang-style columns, creating a simple yet grand wooden structure with balanced load distribution and minimal ornamentation. The walls employ a through-beam wooden frame structure, ingeniously resolving the challenges posed by heavy rain, strong typhoons, and earthquakes. The layered design, along with the interlinked bracket sets on the front and rear platforms, showcases exceptional craftsmanship. The partition doors inside the hall are exquisitely crafted with gold-lacquered wood carvings, complemented by solemn ancient stone inscriptions. The harmonious blend of red and green hues throughout the hall highlights the dignity and grandeur of this 800-year-old precious ancestral structure. The internal architecture of "Sixu Hall" differs from the common temple and ancestral hall structures found in the Chaoshan region. Tracing its origins, "Sixu Hall" was initially built as a commemorative shrine. Its rear hall, connecting corridor, and central official hall follow a layout with a central passageway, where a large wooden memorial archway once stood opposite the front plaza. The central screen was a movable panel matching the width of Sixu Hall, painted brownish-red, featuring a kirin facing the rising sun treading on eight treasures, while the side panels depicted crane and deer motifs.

Construction Method

The rear hall, connecting corridor, and central hall of the ancient ancestral hall were designed and built using the Song Dynasty construction methodology, incorporating the Nine-Star Celestial and Terrestrial Divination methods and the Flying White ruler technique. On-site measurements have shown that this structure inherits ancient Zhejiang and Southern Fujian architectural styles, representing one of the few remaining physical examples of such architecture in Chaoyang. The use of the ancient Tang ruler method reflects the Song Dynasty’s continuation of Tang practices widely adopted by folk craftsmen. The bracket arms with crabapple-shaped corner blocks, as well as the arches and beams, closely resemble the construction standards issued during the Song Dynasty, serving as a tangible miniature of Song Dynasty architecture. This structure also mirrors the cultural and customary similarities across Fujian, Guangdong, and the Chaoshan region, making it a rare surviving example of ancient Song Dynasty architecture and thus incredibly precious. The two side corridors and the three-tiered roofs of the front three peaks, featuring combinations of flush gable and hip roofs and hip-and-gable roofs, were designed in the mid-Ming Dynasty by craftsmen based on the "Shenglao" construction code issued by the Ministry of Works, which is still in use today. The door dimensions follow the traditional Lu Ban door measurement ruler method commonly used among the public.

On March 22, 2010, Sixu Hall was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Shantou City.

Chengnan Subdistrict: Chengnan Subdistrict is located in Chaoyang District, Shantou City, Guangdong Province. It governs:

440513003001 111 Xingong Neighborhood Committee

440513003002 111 Wuxiang Neighborhood Committee

440513003003 111 Xinhua Neighborhood Committee

440513003004 111 Longjing Neighborhood Committee

440513003005 112 Houshuangyuan Neighborhood Committee

440513003006 111 Koumei Neighborhood Committee

440513003…… Detailed information about Chengnan Subdistrict++