The Liao Ancestral Hall in Gongwu Village

The Liao Ancestral Hall in Gongwu Village

The Liao Ancestral Hall in Gongwu Village is a cultural relic protection unit of Huizhou City.

The Liao Ancestral Hall is located in Gongwu Village, Longhua Town, Longmen County. Built in the late Qing Dynasty, it features a four-courtyard layout and faces southeast. It is 19.6 meters wide and 52.3 meters deep, with a front square, a rectangular screen wall in front of the main gate, and a pond in front of the screen wall. The total area covers 1,400 square meters.

The lintel of the first gate bears the inscription “Liao Ancestral Hall” in raised regular script. The hall is flanked by fireproof gables and has a flush-gable roof. The dragon-phoenix ridge is adorned with clay carvings of figures, flowers, an aoyu (mythical fish), and green porcelain lions on the eaves. Inside the gate, a wooden partition screen stands at the center. The beams and pillars are carved with reliefs depicting such scenes as Jiang Ziya visiting Gongji, the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Mu Guiying Assuming Command, and floral designs — all vivid and lifelike. The floor is paved with red square bricks (each 37 cm per side). Side rooms are situated on both sides.

The second courtyard features a four-pillar, hip-and-gable-roofed incense pavilion in the center. The floor inside is paved with red lime plaster, outlined to resemble square bricks, and is very smooth. The rooftop ridge is decorated with gray clay carvings of qilin and floral-bird motifs. Flowering plants are planted nearby, adding charm. Corridors lie on both sides.

The third courtyard is the main hall, spanning three bays in both width and depth. Passages on either side lead to the fourth courtyard, which houses the ancestral shrine with rooms on the left and right. There are side gates along the passages. Both the third and fourth courtyards have flush-gable roofs, with lion and aoyu sculptures on the ridges. The floors are paved with red square bricks.

Gongwu Village: The ancient architectural complex of Gongwu Village is located in Gongwu Village, Longhua Town, Longmen County, Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, and dates back to the Qing Dynasty. The complex includes the Wuzhai residences, ancient docks, Zheng Street, and the Liao Ancestral Hall. With over a thousand historic dwellings and more than ten courtyards still standing, notable features include the beams and wood carvings of Wuzhai and the Liao Ancestral Hall, the gray plaster and water-milled blue brick walls, and the L-shaped counters of shops on Zheng Street, all of which hold significant artistic and research value. On July 17, 2002, it was designated as part of the fourth batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Wuzhai: Facing south, Wuzhai covers a construction area of approximately 9,200 square meters and includes structures such as the Jinyuan Residence and a watchtower... More details about Gongwu Village ++