Lianzhou Liu Gong Ancestral Hall

Lianzhou Liu Gong Ancestral Hall

The Liu Gong Ancestral Hall was originally built in 1945, with an inscribed plaque on the gate reading “Hall of Prime Minister Liu of the Tang Dynasty”. It was demolished in the 1980s. To commemorate Liu Zhan, a prime minister from Lianzhou during the Tang Dynasty, and with the attention of the Lianzhou Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, the ancestral hall was rebuilt.

The Liu Gong Ancestral Hall is a mock-ancient style structure that showcases the upright and incorruptible life of Liu Zhan. The hall covers an area of 660 square meters. In front of the gate stand three pairs of flagpole stones, commemorating that three generations of the Liu family — Liu Jing, Liu Zhan’s ancestor — all achieved the status of Jinshi (successful imperial examination candidate). On the first floor of the hall, the legendary stories of Liu Zhan such as “Prime Minister Renting a House in the Tang Dynasty”, “Petitioning the Emperor and Being Demoted”, “Serving as Prime Minister Twice”, “Three Generations of Jinshi”, and “Tomb at the Foot of Zhongfeng Mountain” are displayed through pictures, inscriptions, and sculptures. The second floor follows the layout of Yanxi Academy, restored according to the format of ancient academies in Lianzhou, and introduces the history of academies in Lianzhou through the dynasties. The hall also displays representative images of Lianzhou’s gate towers, ancestral halls, bridges, pavilions, and residential houses.

Liu Zhan, courtesy name Jizhi, was a native of Lianzhou during the Tang Dynasty. His father, Liu Jing, once studied under the poet Liu Yuxi. Liu Jing passed the imperial examination, setting a precedent for scholars from Lianzhou. Liu Yuxi happily wrote a poem in his honor: “The talented scholar of the Xiang region is Master Liu, destined for Changsha but residing in Guiyang. Yesterday he passed the new imperial exams in the capital, and the young nobles of the Five Tombs now yield to his brilliance.” Liu Zhan himself passed the imperial examinations during the Dazhong era of the Tang Dynasty. Known for his “extraordinary appearance, literary talent, and quick wit,” he gained great favor with then-prime minister Liu Zhuo, who recommended him as a Hanlin Academician, later appointing him as a member of the Secretariat, Vice Minister of Revenue, acting minister, Prefect of Taiyuan, concurrently Minister of Justice, and Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall, effectively making him a prime minister. This was during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang... More details about Liu Zhan ++

Lianzhou Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Lianzhou City. It is the location of the municipal government. Established as the Lianzhou Commune in 1958 and upgraded to a town in 1968. Covers an area of 104.8 square kilometers, with a population of 97,000. National Highway 107 passes through the town, and the Lianjiang River is navigable. Administers 17 management districts (village committees): Longkou, Xiemin, Shazigang, Longzui, Nitán, Mandi, Yuantan, Sangu Tan, Liangjiang, Gaodui, Banling, Jinfeng, Shen Shuidong, Chengdong, Chengnan, Chengxi, Chengbei, as well as three neighborhood offices: Beihu, Nanmen, and Dongshan. Township enterprises are mainly engaged in construction, building materials, light textiles, leather production, and chemicals. Agriculture has developed industries in vegetables, animal husbandry, and fruit... More details about Lianzhou Town ++