Ren Tian Ancestral Hall

Ren Tian Ancestral Hall

Ren Tian Ancestral Hall is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Ren Tian Ancestral Hall is located on the north bank of Ximen Pond in the Ming and Qing ancient architectural complex of Nanshe Village, Chashan Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province. It was built in the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1873) for Xie Rentian, the 14th-generation descendant of the Xie family in the village, and was renovated in 1996. The structure faces southeast and adopts a traditional courtyard layout with three bays, two courtyards, two corridors, and one skylight. The total width is 9.45 meters, the total depth is 14.9 meters, and the floor area is approximately 142 square meters. It features a brick, wood, and stone structure with grey brick walls, red sandstone wall bases, plinths, door frames, columns, and column bases. The roof is of the flush-gable type, with a hybrid beam-frame structure combining raised beams and penetrating ties, gable walls in the shape of an inverted “人,” clay sculptures of dragon boat ridges topped with a pair of ao fish, and green-glazed roof tiles with drip tiles. There are three steps made of red sandstone in front of the entrance, and four marble flagpole stands for jinshi (successful imperial examination candidates) stand to the left. Above the main gate, the name “Ren Tian Ancestral Hall” is engraved in relief on red sandstone. Wooden couplets hang on both sides of the door. Inside the entrance is a screen, above which hang three wooden plaques awarded to jinshi and juren (successful candidates in the imperial examinations). The second courtyard, known as "Jing Si Tang" (Hall of Reverent Thoughts), houses a spirit altar at the rear, where ancestral tablets of the Xie family from the 13th generation of the Ming Dynasty to the 24th generation of the Republican era are enshrined. The hall holds significant value for the study of ancestral halls in the Lingnan region. It was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 2006.

Source: Xiang'an Cultural Center

Nanshe Village: Nanshe Village is located southeast of Chashan Town, approximately 18 kilometers from downtown Dongguan. It enjoys convenient transportation, covers an area of 4.13 square kilometers, and governs seven villager groups. It has a registered population of 3,690 and a migrant population of about 10,000. In 2016, the total operating income of Nanshe Village at both the village and group levels was 33.62 million yuan, with a net income of 18.08 million yuan, demonstrating steady growth in the collective economy.

Since 2015, Nanshe Village in Chashan Town has appeared on CCTV programs six times in a row, showcasing the profound historical culture and unique charm of Chashan and even Dongguan to audiences across the country. Among them... Detailed information about Nanshe Village++