Ancestral Hall of He Huiyan

Ancestral Hall of He Huiyan

The Ancestral Hall of He Huiyan is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangzhou City.

Ancestral Hall of He Huiyan

The Ancestral Hall of He Huiyan is a family shrine dedicated to He Huiyan, the 22nd-generation descendant of the Liugeng Hall of the He clan, along with his ancestors. The hall faces south with its back to the north. The front gate is 10.3 meters wide and 6.1 meters deep, built on a granite foundation with three stone steps leading up to it. The main door is an uncommon “swing-bar door.” Under the eaves of the front gate are exquisite stucco reliefs and murals.

The ancestral hall is a small two-courtyard structure. Passing through the “swing-bar door,” there is a brown screen door in front, intricately carved with beautiful patterns and latticework, giving off an elegant and rustic charm. On both sides of the front gate are side rooms with wooden mezzanines. The windows on the northern side of the rooms let sunlight filter through the carved wooden frames, creating a warm atmosphere. Between the upper and lower window walls, there are green-glazed ceramic railings for decoration.

The courtyard of the ancestral hall is 4.4 meters deep and paved with granite. High walls stand on both sides. A small door is set into the west wall leading to the alley, while the east wall has a hexagonal door connecting to the small courtyard of the study. The door is inlaid with a horizontal stone plaque carved in running script that reads “得少佳趣” (Finding Delight in Simplicity), featuring delicate calligraphy complemented by relief carvings. The study also has two courtyards, separated by a small inner courtyard. The front section has its own entrance facing the street. A well is specially built in the small courtyard, with a wellhead made of bluestone. The wall near the well is inscribed with six characters: “升泉地脉龙神” (Rising Spring, Earth Vein, Dragon Spirit). The wall around the well is adorned with exquisitely crafted colored glaze flower windows. The rear section has a small wooden building, with a breezeway in front.

The rear chamber is 7.95 meters deep and connected to the courtyard by three stone steps. The front wall features finely carved brick flower windows on both sides, with a central dark-colored screen door. The carvings on this door are even more refined than those on the front gate’s screen door. There is a window on the door, with window lattice inlays made of thin white slices ground from shells—serving both as light transmitters and decorations. Under the eaves are elaborately carved floral lintel panels, decorated with gold leaf, featuring seasonal flowers, fruits, and auspicious motifs. On both sides of the door are large wooden openwork spandrels as decorations. The interior has no pillars but is supported by large gabled beams on the east and west sides. The beams are simple and undecorated. The worship facilities inside are no longer present.

To the east of the main building of the ancestral hall is an attached, two-courtyard study that is 3.6 meters wide and as deep as the hall itself. To the east lies “Dayi Alley,” while the small alley to the west of the hall is inhabited by descendants of the hall, and the alley is also named “Huiyan” after the hall.

Shawan North Village: Located to the north of the center of Shawan Town and south of Qingluo Road, Shawan North Village covers an area of approximately 2.4 square kilometers. It consists of 13 villager groups, with a total population of over 1,760.

With a history of over 800 years, Shawan North Village boasts exquisitely laid out ancient streets and lanes, all paved with granite slabs. The area includes provincial-level cultural relic protection units such as the “Liugeng Hall,” “Guangyu Hall,” and “Chebei Street,” forming a representative collection of Lingnan ancient architecture. Xiangxian Middle School, located just north of the center of the North Village, has nearly a century of educational history and is a national model... More details about Shawan North Village++

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangzhou Cultural Relic Protection Units