Ancient Zoutang Village

Zoutang Ancient Village

Zoutang Ancient Village, a quaint rural settlement, is located in Didu Town, Jieyang Airport Economic Zone, Jieyang City, Guangdong Province. Nestled against the Sangpu Mountain and facing the Rongjiang River, it borders Jinping District of Shantou City to the east and Chao’an District of Chaozhou City to the north. National Highway 206 runs through the area, placing it at the junction of the three Chaoshan cities — an exceptionally strategic location.

The ancestral temple of the Zheng clan in Zoutang, commonly known as the “Ancestral Temple of the First Patriarch,” is situated in Wumei Village within Zoutang. It was built in the second year of the Longqing era (1568) during the reign of Emperor Muzong of the Ming Dynasty, commissioned by the 11th-generation ancestor of the Zoutang Zhengs, Zheng Min, who returned home on leave to construct the family shrine. Zheng Min was a successful imperial examination candidate (Jinshi) in the 25th year of the Jiajing era (1556), and was appointed as an official in the Ministry of War. He later served as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Guizhou and the Surveillance Commissioner of Sichuan, earning a reputation for integrity and uprightness. The ancestral temple has been burned down, rebuilt, and restored several times, but still stands firmly at the foot of Zoutang Mountain, retaining its ancient charm. The stone memorial archway inscribed with “Ke Di Shi Jia” (“Family of Scholarly Eminence”) is located…

outside the temple. It is a three-bay, four-pillar, fully stone-structured archway with a two-tier stone base, standing about 5 meters high and 7 meters wide. This archway was erected by Zheng Qichong, the fifth-generation descendant of Zheng Min, upon his success in the imperial examinations and subsequent return to renovate the family temple. It stands as a testament to the glory and prestige of the Zheng clan of Zoutang. Since Zheng Min became the first Jinshi in the family, four out of five generations produced scholars who achieved success in the imperial examinations — truly commendable. It is said that Zoutang Village produced one Jinshi, five Juren (successful candidates in the provincial exams), and 40 Gongsheng (tribute students), with numerous old residences marked “Ming Jing Di” (Dwelling of those who passed the Classics) still visible around the countryside.

The Zheng clan ancestral temple and the “Ke Di Shi Jia” stone archway form a harmonious and unique whole, symbolizing the cultural spirit of Zoutang Village and inspiring its people to value learning and pursue knowledge relentlessly. During the Kangxi and Yongzheng eras of the Qing Dynasty, a scholar named Zheng Wenhai, courtesy name Mingruo, emerged from Shachiwei in Zoutang. Known to locals as “Scholar Zheng,” he initiated the dredging of a stream and the construction of a long dike in 1737, transforming thousands of acres of saline fields into fertile farmland. His achievements were recorded in history and remain illustrious. Today, the “Chun Du Gong Ci” (Ancestral Hall of Chun Du) located in Shachiwei, Fengmei Village, along with Zheng Wenhai’s study — “De Lin Ju Book House” — and his former residence — “Lan Gan Ting” (a complex of historic residential buildings) — remain structurally intact and have been designated as cultural heritage sites under the protection of Jieyang City. Zoutang has long been a place of rich culture and talent, with a enduring tradition of scholarly excellence — a legacy that continues to this day.

The beautiful name “Zoutang” is no coincidence. “Zou” refers to the birthplace of the ancient Confucian philosopher Mencius, and “Lu” is the birthplace of Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. Chaoshan has long been honored as the “Coastal Zoulu” (Zou and Lu being centers of Confucian thought), and the Tang Dynasty poet Li Qiao wrote in his poem “Jing”: “The Han court flourished with great Confucian scholars, and Zoutang shone with profound righteousness. The Five Thousand Virtues were expounded, and the Three Hundred Rituals were established. Purple and blue honors were easily attained, while gold merely filled the coffers. But who could match those endowed with eloquence, seated foremost among the assembly of the wise?” I surmise that the name of this village implies: descendants who deeply understand and uphold the virtues of Zou and Lu, spreading and promoting their spirit. The late educator Qi Gong inscribed a couplet for Zoutang School: “The fragrance of humanity blooms with students far and wide; by the coast, Zou-Lu nurtures many a sage.” This is engraved on a stone tablet at the school and undoubtedly serves as a true reflection of Zoutang Village.

Through the shifting tides of time and the changing of seasons, the hardworking and simple people of Zoutang have adhered to ancestral teachings and managed their households wisely. Bathed in the winds of reform and opening-up, “as if a spring breeze blew overnight, turning thousands of pear trees into blossoms,” Zoutang Village has taken on a brand-new look. When you climb Zoutang Mountain and look down, you’ll see rows of old houses and simple cottages standing orderly, alongside new buildings adding fresh elegance. Below the highway by the Rongjiang River lie thousands of acres of shrimp ponds, neatly arranged like a chessboard. Fengmei Guangtou Market bustles with people and traffic. To the south of Wumei Village, the glazed Buddhist structures of Jixiang Temple are clearly visible, where morning bells and evening drums, along with Buddhist chants, celebrate harmony — making it a wonderful destination for sightseeing, worship, and Zen meditation.