Luo Family Ancestral Hall

Luo Family Ancestral Hall

The Luo Family Ancestral Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Luo Family Ancestral Hall is located on Songzishan Street and was originally built during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong period, Luo Wensi—top scholar of Sichuan, then serving as Prefect of Qiannan and Circuit Intendant of Guixi—initiated the expansion of the ancestral hall. He wrote to Luo Qiyi, who was then Magistrate of Qingshui County in Taizhou, Gansu, and received strong support. Luo Qiyi was the 14th-generation descendant of the Luo family. Under Luo Qiyi's direction, construction began in the 40th year of Qianlong (1775) on Songzishan in Songzhi, taking three years to complete in the 43rd year of Qianlong (1778). It was named "Shide Hall" and has now stood for over 400 years.

After the completion of the Luo Family Ancestral Hall, the emperor at the time dispatched an imperial inspector traveling upstream along the river to Luzhou. When he reached Songzhi and saw that the builder of the hall was his former teacher, he bestowed a plaque inscribed with “Luo Family Ancestral Hall.” The plaque measures 2.8 chi in length and 1.2 chi in width, with the four characters “Luo Family Ancestral Hall” flanked by golden dragons. This plaque still exists today. It is said that inside the Luo Family Ancestral Hall, there was originally a horizontal plaque bestowed by the Ming emperor, known as the “Family Law Plaque,” used to discipline clan members.

The existing Luo Family Ancestral Hall is well-preserved and remains in relatively good condition. The main hall features eight large pillars, with the stone bases of the pillars carved with clear depictions of flowers, birds, beasts, stone dragons, and human figures. The wooden crossbeams of the roof truss are intact. On both sides of the main hall are high wind-fire walls constructed from ancient bricks. The roof corners of the main hall are upturned, with each corner adorned with a sculpted dragon. Several wing rooms are built on either side of the main hall, featuring arched stone gates, and the horizontal stone beams above the gates are also intricately carved with flowers and figures, making them quite unique. In front of the main hall lies a rectangular stone-paved courtyard. There is also a wooden stage in front, while the hall behind the main hall is dedicated to enshrining the spirit tablets of generations of ancestors of the Luo family. The overall architectural structure resembles that of a Ming and Qing-style courtyard home.

After the liberation, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Land Use Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Luo Family Ancestral Hall was requisitioned and repurposed as a grain storage facility. To restore the original appearance of the Luo Family Ancestral Hall, under the advocacy of contemporary entrepreneur Luo Shulin, a leadership team for the Luo Clan Guild was established to raise funds. This effort received strong support from the Songzhi Town Party Committee and government. Before the Qingming Festival in 2007, the main hall of the ancestral hall was restored. Descendants of the Luo family from Sichuan, Guizhou, and Chongqing were notified to come to Songzhi for ancestor worship and tomb sweeping. Within two days, as many as 2,000 members of the Luo clan gathered, holding a grand memorial ceremony in reverence of their forebears. A theater troupe, yangko dance, and waist-drum performance teams were invited, adding festive cheer to the celebration.

The courtyard serves to bring natural light and fresh air into the interior, but its deeper significance lies in fostering a communal atmosphere in shared spaces and enhancing the landscape of the indoor micro-environment. What is it like to watch the rain in such an inner hall without getting wet during the rainy season?