The Zeng Clan Ancestral Hall in Longgang

The Zeng Clan Ancestral Hall in Longgang

The Zeng Clan Ancestral Hall in Longgang is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Zeng Clan Ancestral Hall is located in Longgang Village, Zhongluotan Town, also known as the Hall of Revering the Distant Past. According to the clan genealogy, the Zengs in Longgang Village are descendants of Zengzi, and the name “Hall of Revering the Distant Past” comes from Zengzi’s saying, “By revering the distant past, the virtue of the people will return to its roots.” The ancestral hall was first built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. It faces east and has five courtyards, covering an area of 966 square meters, with grey-plastered roof ridges, barrel-tiled roofing, unglazed eaves tiles, water spouts, and gable walls with pot-style ornaments.

The first courtyard is three bays wide and three bays deep, with a roof ridge adorned with grey-plastered sculptures of two dragons, whose bodies face the ends of the ridge while their heads turn back toward a precious pearl. The stone plaque inscribed with “Zeng Clan Ancestral Hall” was made during the Republic of China era when the hall was renovated. The brick carvings on the stepped wall corners are also notable. The red sandstone door sockets are carved with lions and grass dragons, the latter exhibiting Ming Dynasty styling. The purlin dougong (bracket arms) are carved with ruyi (auspicious) motifs in simple lines; the main hall’s walls, foundational stone bases, and octagonal rear eave pillars are all made of red sandstone, indicating its long history.

The second courtyard is a three-bay, four-pillar granite memorial archway with brick-carved scroll-leaf brackets. The plaque above the archway is inscribed with “Fengyi Dafu” (a high official rank), and the characters “Enrong” (Imperial Favor) are written above it, while the back of the archway is inscribed with “Weiyi Liufang” (Everlasting Fragrance).

The third courtyard is 13.9 meters wide (three bays) and 10.2 meters deep (three intervals), with golden columns connected by intricately carved dragon and phoenix designs.

The fourth courtyard is three bays wide and two bays deep, with a front courtyard and two side corridors.

Longgang Village: Located by the Liuxi River in Zhongluotan Town in the northern part of Guangzhou City, Longgang Village covers an area of about 9 square kilometers and comprises 14 villager groups, with a total population of over 9,000. It is the most remote village committee in Zhongluotan Town.

The Longgang Village Committee is 30 kilometers from downtown Guangzhou, 3 kilometers from the center of Zhongluotan Town, bordering the town center to the east, about 8 kilometers from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to the west, encircled by the picturesque Liuxi River to the north, and vast farmlands to the south. With only two through roads, its geographic advantages are relatively limited. Situated in a hilly area, the Longgang Village Committee leverages local characteristics... Longgang Village detailed information++