Nanchong Wu Clan Ancestral Hall

Nanchong Wu Clan Ancestral Hall

The Nanchong Wu Clan Ancestral Hall is a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Unit.

Wu Clan Ancestral Hall. The Wu Clan Ancestral Hall is located in Youzhaiping Village. In September 2012, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage protection unit and is currently being nominated for provincial-level protection. The hall serves as a place for Wu clan members to worship ancestors and hold meetings. Constructed with brick and wood, it was first built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty and has undergone three reconstructions, remaining well-preserved to this day. The ancestral hall is 24 meters wide from east to west and 60 meters long from north to south, covering an area of 1,440 square meters. The main structure follows a traditional courtyard layout, featuring a pair of tall flagpoles and two pairs of stone lions at the front. Its architectural style fully reflects the common characteristics of ancestral halls in northern Sichuan.

The Wu Clan Ancestral Hall was originally built during the Ming Dynasty, located at Banling Temple in TianTai Township, Puji District, Wangcang County. Due to the surrounding mountains, sparse population, dense forests, and lack of maintenance, along with historical changes, it was not preserved. It was relocated to Youzhaiping in the Renzi year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty, where the ancestral hall was finally completed and the genealogy plaque was erected.

1. Site Selection: As early as the Ming Dynasty, this location was regarded as having the legend: “A naturally formed oil press (stone-born press box), rare in the human world; a golden basin (oil basin born under the stone), miraculously pressing oil; with a single strike of the pole, oil spills across the ground, bringing prosperity to descendants.” During the Qing Dynasty, geomancers searched nearly a hundred miles for a suitable site for the ancestral hall and identified locations in Heping’s Sujia Ping, Xianjia Ping, and Youzhaiping. They ultimately chose Youzhaiping as the “feng shui site of the ascending phoenix.” By measuring the soil with a dou (a traditional measuring container) and then weighing it, they found that the soil here was 20% heavier than anywhere else, thus confirming the site. This led to the legend: “The Wu Clan Ancestral Hall is sited here, ensuring the flourishing of descendants.”

2. Construction of the Ancestral Hall. The hall was built in the Renzi year of the Guangxu reign, designed as a traditional courtyard structure, featuring a main ancestral hall, side rooms, a theater stage, and constructed with brick, wood, and tiles. It boasted magnificent decorations including floral patterns, stone lions, flagpoles, and couplets. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire during the chaos of the late Qing Dynasty. It was partially rebuilt in the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), but not entirely restored. In the 1960s (the Year of Jiaxu), the Wu clan raised funds to repair and restore the main hall, lions, and flagpoles. After the 5.12 Earthquake, the structure was on the verge of collapse, posing serious safety risks to the school and villagers. In the spring of the Renchen year of the 21st century (2012), the clan united, raising over a million yuan through donations from members, relatives, and friends to renovate the weathered 78-year-old Wu Clan Ancestral Hall. The genealogy was updated, new granite plaques and a memorial stele were erected, the theater stage was rebuilt, and spaces for filial piety culture and folk customs were created, housing over 500 volumes. A osmanthus garden was planted, and a parking lot was constructed.

The Wu Clan Ancestral Hall is 24 meters wide from east to west, 60 meters long from north to south, and covers an area of 1,440 square meters. It has now become a place for Wu clan members to worship ancestors and hold meetings. On September 27, 2012, it was officially listed as a municipal-level cultural heritage protection unit.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units