The He Clan Ancestral Hall of Dahui

The He Clan Ancestral Hall of Dahui

The He Clan Ancestral Hall of Dahui is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province.

Situated by the Fenxi River in Wanjiang’s Dahui, it was once one of Dongguan’s four renowned towns, along with Huangchong, Machong, and Shijie. This ancient village was established in the 31st year of the Shaoxing era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1161), boasting a history of 856 years. The layout of its residential houses and ancestral halls still largely follows the spacious, scattered arrangement typical of the Cantonese style.

The He Clan Ancestral Hall is the largest ancestral hall in Dahui Village. Built in 1527, it now serves as the village’s senior activity center and also houses a local history exhibition hall.

Times have changed rapidly, and many ancient structures have not been preserved in time. Today, the continuous blocks of historic residences that once defined Dahui Village can no longer be seen. However, just a few steps away among modern buildings, you can still spot ancient architecture interspersed throughout. Some are well-preserved, with grey bricks, red sandstone, and the “three carvings and one sculpture” (wood, brick, stone carving, and pottery ornamentation) all intact—truly beautiful.

As one of Dongguan’s four renowned towns, Dahui Village has been famous since the Ming and Qing dynasties for producing numerous renowned calligraphers and painters, earning it the title of Guangdong Province’s Hometown of Painting and Calligraphy. Many of the village’s ancient buildings have been converted into painting and calligraphy academies—for instance, Baicui Pavilion, which also serves as the location of the Dongguan Workers’ Painting and Calligraphy Association. Even the nearly 500-year-old He Clan Ancestral Hall was transformed into an exhibition hall in 2010. It not only showcases the village’s history but has also hosted calligraphy and painting exhibitions.

According to historical records, the He Clan Ancestral Hall was first built in the 6th year of the Jiajing era (1527). When it was renovated in the 12th year of the Kangxi era (1673), villagers invited the renowned geomancer Zeng Jicheng to assess the feng shui. After his inspection, Zeng remarked that the layout of the ancestral hall resembled a stylized crab. To the left was the Wen Family Ancestral Hall, and to the right the Three Generals Temple—both situated on slightly elevated ground, representing the crab’s two large claws. The two stone arch bridges, Zhongde and Qingyun, symbolized the crab’s eyes. However, the original ancestral hall’s main chamber was low and dim, the courtyard narrow, and the surrounding walls and fences obstructive, preventing the natural flow of landscape elements toward the structure. Moreover, “with the crab’s mouth closed, it could not feed; with its navel sealed shut, it could not be nourished.”

Further reading:

· Ninth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units