Wang and Liu Ancestral Hall

Wang and Liu Ancestral Hall

Wang and Liu Ancestral Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Shenzhen.

Wang and Liu Ancestral Hall is located on the east side of Xuanwu Ancient Temple, Zhengjie Street, Nantou Checkpoint, Nanshan District, Shenzhen. In the first year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1573), it was built to commemorate Wang Hong, the Guangdong Criminal and Surveillance Commissioner who fought against the Portuguese invaders in the Battle of Tuen Mun, and Liu Wen, the Guangdong Deputy Criminal and Surveillance Commissioner who contributed to the establishment of Xin’an County. Since its creation in the Ming Dynasty, the hall has undergone multiple renovations, and local officials and residents held annual sacrificial ceremonies in spring and autumn. It was demolished by Japanese troops during the War of Resistance, leaving only the rear hall.

Wang Hong (1466–1536), a native of Dafan, Wuyuan County, Huizhou (now Dafan Township, Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province), was a successful imperial examination candidate. In the 16th year of the Zhengde era (1521), he led soldiers and civilians from Nantou to repel the Portuguese invaders, who had occupied Tuen Mun for seven years, driving them out of the country and becoming China’s earliest military leader to resist Western colonial aggression.

Liu Wen (1518–1575), a native of Yuxian, Huguang (now Yuxian, Hunan Province), was also a successful imperial examination candidate. In the sixth year of the Longqing era (1572), while inspecting Guangdong’s coastal defenses, he focused his efforts on Nantou and actively lobbied for the county’s restoration. The Ming court eventually established the county in the first year of the Wanli era (1573), naming it “Xin’an,” which means “renewal through reform and transition from danger to safety.”

In 1988, the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government designated it as a cultural relic protection unit.