Han Culture Base

Han Culture Base

The Han Culture Base is a cultural heritage site protected by Xingning City.

The Liu Clan Ancestral Hall. The Liu Clan Ancestral Hall is located under the banyan tree in Lianfeng Village, Huangpi Town, Xingning City, Guangdong Province. It faces west and was built in the 39th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1700 AD) by descendants of the founding ancestor Kaiqi Gong who migrated to Guangdong, as a memorial to their ancestors. Later, it was expanded over twenty years through the joint efforts of clan elites from Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Jiangxi provinces into a grand ancestral hall with distinctive Hakka characteristics. Before its construction, the site was chosen under the guidance of Liu Bowen, a master of geomancy from the Ming Dynasty. The hall is oriented toward the Zhengyin Mountain and sits on a “Golden Crab Sailing on the River” feng shui treasure land, divided into three halls and three lines with precise orientations. Descendants of the hall have spread across the world, producing many talented individuals. Despite more than three hundred years of vicissitudes, it still houses treasured plaques such as “Liu Clan Ancestral Hall,” “Number One Scholar and Imperial Examination Success,” and “Hall of Love and Respect.” The original hall had deteriorated over time, with crumbling walls and dilapidated buildings. The rebuilt Liu Clan Ancestral Hall features a structure of three halls and one surrounding dragon, with a front courtyard and a crescent-shaped pond. The main gate is entirely carved from granite, with the plaques “Liu Clan Ancestral Hall” and “Number One Scholar and Imperial Examination Success” hanging above the door lintel—artifacts preserved since the hall’s establishment in 1700. Their design reflects an “erudite family” ethos. On the outer walls on both sides of the hall are inlaid platinum characters reading “Filial Piety to Ancestors” and “Blessings for Posterity,” beneath which are hung artworks such as the “Lotus and Crab Painting” (symbolizing harmony through homophony), the “Golden Lion Offering Auspiciousness Painting,” and the “Auspicious Elephant Painting.” The upper hall enshrines the spirit tablets of generations of Liu ancestors, with the plaque “Hall of Love and Respect” hanging above the ancestral shrine—an inscription over three hundred years old, bold and vigorous, embodying sentiments of “love and respect.” On the left side of the upper hall is a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and on the right are statues of Confucius and Guan Yu. The middle hall’s left and right walls feature portraits of the Twelve Emperors of the Eastern Han and Western Han dynasties, respectively. The central hall also displays stone-carved golden coiling dragon images on its side walls. The lower hall’s walls feature paintings of the “Peach Garden Oath” and “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage.” A total of twelve exquisitely carved couplets hang throughout the three halls, all made of solid wood, rich in meaning, simple yet profound. Inside the main gate, the lintel is carved with images of “Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity” and “Mandarin Ducks Playing in Water.” Inside the lion-mouthed gate are a pair of guardian stone lions, above which hang plaques such as “Inherit the Past and Inspire the Future,” “Produce Emperors and Prime Ministers,” “Mapping Strategies,” and “Weaving the Earth”—symbols encouraging descendants to study diligently, cultivate talents capable of shaping the world, honor their ancestors, and aspire to greatness. The Swallowtail Roof (Hakka-style decorative roof ridge) of the surrounding dragon house structure has been turned into a “Han Culture Corridor” showcasing five thousand years of Chinese civilization. The “Han Culture Corridor” is divided into five major sections spanning five thousand years: “Five Thousand Years of Chinese History,” “China’s Hundred Family Surnames,” “The Grandeur of the Han Dynasty,” “Hakka Origins,” and “Chronicles of the Liu Clan,” totaling fifty-eight rooms and stretching 580 meters. It is rich in cultural significance, reflecting the broad-mindedness of the Liu Clan and is considered a masterpiece. The roofs of the upper, middle, and lower halls are adorned with exquisite Chaozhou-style artistic patterns such as “Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl” and “Two Phoenixes Playing with a Pearl.” The entire Liu Clan Ancestral Hall is built of stone, with green bricks and glazed tiles, shining with gold and vibrant colors, delicate and graceful. Its architecture blends Hakka features from Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi with Chaozhou artistry, making it the largest known ancestral hall to date.

In front of the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall lies the 20-plus-acre “Han Culture Square.” The spacious and imposing square is integrated with the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall to form the Han Culture Base. At the entrance of the square stands a grand stone memorial archway, 38.9 meters wide, 13.8 meters tall, and weighing approximately 128 tons, exuding a majestic and kingly aura. Entering the square, the first sight is the statue of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang. The emperor holds a sword in his left hand and raises a royal goblet in his right, appearing both kind and dignified, as if reciting the “Song of the Great Wind,” inspiring deep reverence. On the east side of the square (in front of the ancestral hall’s pond) are sculptures of the “Three Ancestors of the Liu Clan.” In the center is Emperor Yao, one of the Five Emperors and the most virtuous ruler; to his right is Yuanming Gong, Yao’s ninth son and the first bearer of the Liu surname, revered as the Supreme Ancestor of the Liu Clan; to his left is Lèi Gong, the 18th-generation ancestor who was granted the title of Dragon Tamer in the Xia Dynasty and is honored as a prominent ancestor of the Liu Clan. To the right of the “Three Ancestors” is the “Sixteen Steeds Painting,” symbolizing the 16 descendants of Liu Kaiqi Gong who pioneered and expanded their territories. The entire square is vast, imposing, and spectacular.

The Han Culture Base is renowned and attracts numerous visitors. In 2011, it was listed as a key cultural heritage site under Xingning City and serves as the Xingning Office of the Meizhou Root-Soil Culture Research Association.

Lianfeng Village: Lianfeng Village

The village has 67 Party members, 5 committee members, 7 impoverished Party members (including 4 receiving subsistence allowances). The village has a population of 2,681, with 576 households, 17 villager groups, 1,094 mu of arable land, 167.7 hectares of forested area, no collective economic income, an annual per capita income of 3,319 yuan for farmers, good public security, 852 people living in hardship (including 126 receiving subsistence allowances).

Current major challenges facing the village: 1. The need to develop village-level collective economy; 2. Repair of farmland water conservancy facilities. … Detailed information about Lianfeng Village++