Huizhou Huang Family Ancestral Hall (Huang Clan Study House)

Huizhou Huang Family Ancestral Hall (Huang Clan Study House)

Huizhou Huang Family Ancestral Hall (Huang Clan Study House) is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Also known as the Huang Clan Study House, the ancestral hall is a place where the Han people worship their ancestors or virtuous figures of the past. Located at No. 36 Huancheng West Road, Huicheng District, Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, it served as the ancestral temple for the Huang clan of Guihui County (now encompassing parts of present-day Huidong County, Huidong City, Huicheng District, and some areas of Bao’an District). Built in the 22nd year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1842), it was later converted into the Huang Clan Study House.

The Huang Family Ancestral Hall is a three-courtyard complex, with an additional three-courtyard wing on the left connected via a small alley and side door. The total building area is 1,000 square meters. The front courtyard is five bays wide and three bays deep. On either side of the main gate and in front of the central bay are arched stone lintels, supported by stone brackets at the base, with stone lions placed atop the lintels and bracket sets (dougong) with three brackets and one block resting on the lions. The granite main gate is tall and imposing, measuring 3.6 meters in height and 2.05 meters in width. The plaque above the gate bears the name “Huang Clan Study House” in regular script, carved in intaglio, with each character sized 50x60 cm; the couplet reads “Achievements in Governance Rank First” and “Family Virtue in Filial Piety Is Matchless,” written in running script, carved in intaglio, with each character sized 25x40 cm. The calligraphy is elegant and fluid, holding significant artistic value.

A pair of stone gate piers with pedestals flank the entrance, each standing 63 cm tall and 54 cm wide. The corridor connecting the first and second courtyards consists of three sections: the central section has a gable-and-hip roof, while the front and rear sections feature rolled shed roofs. This design not only increases the depth of the front courtyard but also adds visual variety. The beam of the rolled shed corridor supports purlins with an intricately carved composite element made of octagonal melon-patterned and plum-blossom dougong components, showcasing distinctive local craftsmanship. The horizontal lintels of the corridor are adorned with richly varied decorative patterns. The entire structure is roofed with gray tiles outlined in green glazed tiles, lending it a solemn and classic appearance. The carvings throughout the building are fluid and refined; the stone lions are vivid and lifelike, and the wooden components such as pedestals and bracket sets are exquisitely elegant. The walls preserve many murals depicting ancient sages and virtuous figures.

Address: No. 36 Huancheng West Road, Huicheng District, Huizhou City

Type: Ancestral Hall / Historical Building

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units