Chating Ancient Village

Chating Ancient Village

Chating Ancient Village is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangdong Province.

Chating Village is situated on the west side of Chanchan Highway in the southwest of Tanbu Town. Most villagers have the surname Tang, whose ancestors migrated here from Nanhai during the Song Dynasty, establishing the village about 700 years ago. The character "Tang" includes the water radical, and "tea" also relates to water, while a "pond" can contain it—hence the name "Chating." The ancient buildings in the village cover an area of over 67,000 square meters, with approximately 120 relatively well-preserved Ming and Qing structures remaining, including over 20 temples, ancestral halls, academies, and study rooms, as well as other residences and a small number of halls, many of which are still inhabited. The buildings face west and are laid out in an orderly fashion, with rows of structures along the village front that are grand in scale and well preserved. The main village-front buildings consist of temples, ancestral halls, and study halls, all exquisitely built, mostly dating from the Qing Dynasty. They are typically three-bay, three-section or three-bay, two-section structures, featuring gable-and-hip roofs or "bucket-ear" firewalls, with "Ancient Treasure" or dragon boat-style plaster ridges and gray barrel tiles. Stone carving, brick carving, wood carving, and plasterwork are all finely executed and well preserved. Individual buildings are separated by lanes, with 16 ancient alleys still in existence, each about 200 meters deep. The paving of the alleys varies, with red sandstone, granite, stone, and earthen surfaces, along with side drainage ditches. Originally, gate towers were built at the alley entrances, each inscribed with the alley’s name, but only those of Zuzheng Li, Guangzong Li, Dexing Li, Lunxiu Li, Weishan Zuile, and Dongtian Shenchu remain today. Among them, villagers refer to Zuzheng Li as "the rich men’s lane," which features well-organized architecture and retains 16 ancient buildings. The main village-front buildings consist of temples, ancestral halls, and study halls, including the relatively well-preserved Hongsheng Ancient Temple, Mingfeng Tang Ancestral Hall, Youfeng Tang Ancestral Hall, and Wancheng Tang Ancestral Hall.

Most villagers in Chating have the surname Tang. The Tang surname is a derivative branch of the Zi clan, tracing back to its earliest ancestor, Tang of Shang. After his passing, he was honored as "Cheng Tang." To commemorate his great achievements, some descendants changed their surname from Zi to Tang. To this day, the Tang surname has a history of over 3,700 years.

The earliest ancestors of Chating, plagued by war, moved swiftly from place to place after Emperor Gaozong’s southern crossing and the Jin invasion. They relocated from Dangju Village, Xiangfu County, Kaifeng Prefecture, Henan, to Zhujixiang in Nanxiong Prefecture. But they didn’t stay long and, due to the "Concubine Su Incident," were forced to move again to Daliang in Xinhui. Finding Daliang too cramped, they then moved to Nanhai, and finally, the founding ancestor Yishi Gong established the village in Chating.

At the village’s founding, Yishi Gong invited a feng shui master to plan the layout. The design faced west and was arranged from north to south, resembling a crane standing: the north of the village represented the head and neck, the middle the chest, and the south the hips, with the earth in front of the hips symbolizing the feet. Later generations built feng shui foundations and houses to gather auspicious energy and bless future generations. This proved highly effective. Legend says that after the village’s establishment, it was blessed by a divine dragon. One day, while flying through the heavens, the dragon noticed Chating—both old and new villages—enveloped in a haze of impurity. Descending upon Chating, the dragon faced north and exhaled two streams of celestial breath from its nostrils, dispelling demons and suppressing evil influences. From then on, the ancient Chating Village prospered, with a thriving population that has now grown to over 1,300 people.

Wanliang Tang Ancestral Hall is located in Nanshe. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it was renovated in the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922) and again in 1997. It faces west and is a three-bay, two-section structure, with a total width of 11.2 meters and depth of 19.7 meters, covering a floor area of 233 square meters. It features a gable-and-hip firewall, a plaster "Ancient Treasure" ridge, gray barrel tiles, granite stone foundations, and a red brick floor.

Youfeng Tang Ancestral Hall is located in Zhongshe, Chating. A Qing Dynasty structure, it underwent partial renovation in 2009. It faces west, with a total width of 11.4 meters and depth of 17.2 meters, covering a floor area of 206 square meters. It has a "bucket-ear" firewall, a plaster "Ancient Treasure" ridge, gray barrel tiles, blue brick and stone foundations, and a red brick floor.

Nanshou Family School is located in Nanshe, Chating Village, and was first built in the year of Ren Shen (1872). It faces west, with a main three-bay, two-section building and a side ancestral shrine. It spans a total width of 16.9 meters and depth of 20.4 meters, covering a floor area of 360 square meters. It features a gable-and-hip firewall, a plaster "Ancient Treasure" ridge, gray barrel tiles, blue brick and stone foundations, and a red brick floor.

The Hongsheng Ancient Temple in Chating is the largest in Huadu and excels in architectural artistry and cultural significance. All the wood used in the temple is from kempas trees, and two dragon pillars stand at the entrance. The most interesting attraction in the ancient village is its “Wall Street”—Zuzheng Li, also known as “the rich men’s lane.” The buildings here are exquisitely constructed, uniformly designed as three-bay, two-corridor homes made entirely of blue bricks, resembling the mansions of Guangzhou’s Xiguan district. The lane entrance features a “Yan Song-Resisting Gate,” and the main hall has a “tanglong” (barrier door).

This structure serves as physical evidence for studying ancient temple architecture and villagers’ beliefs. In September 2002, it was designated as a registered cultural relic protection unit by the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government. The overall condition remains good, with no signs of leakage, intact floor tiles, and largely preserved stone and wood carvings, though the walls were plastered with cement and the brick lines redrawn during the 2003 renovation. The mountain gate was fitted with a new ceramic and glazed tile ridge, and the roof was replaced with green glazed tiles.

The Hongsheng Ancient Temple in Chating is the largest in Huadu and excels in architectural artistry and cultural significance. All the wood used in the temple is from kempas trees, and two dragon pillars stand at the entrance. The most interesting attraction in the ancient village is its “Wall Street”—Zuzheng Li, also known as “the rich men’s lane.” The buildings here are exquisitely constructed, uniformly designed as three-bay, two-corridor homes made entirely of blue bricks, resembling the mansions of Guangzhou’s Xiguan district. The lane entrance features a “Yan Song-Resisting Gate,” and the main hall has a “tanglong” (barrier door). The liveliest event in the village occurs every year on the morning of the 16th day of the first lunar month at 8 a.m., during the “Firecracker Snatching Festival.” Lion dance troupes from various family lineages enter one after another, bringing roosters and seasonal fruits. They first worship at the Hongsheng Ancient Temple, then perform martial arts on the open space in front of the temple, showcasing a dazzling array of weapons, boxing styles, and routines.

Chating currently has 16 ancient alleys, each about 200 meters deep, with random paving using red sandstone, granite, stone, and earthen materials, along with side drainage ditches. Originally, gate towers stood at the alley entrances, each inscribed with the alley’s name, but only those of Zuzheng Li, Guangzong Li, Dexing Li, Lunxiu Li, Weishan Zuile, and Dongtian Shenchu remain today. Among them, Zuzheng Li features well-organized architecture and retains 16 ancient buildings.

Mingfeng Tang Ancestral Hall

Deyu Study Hall

Wanchang Tang Ancestral Hall

Yunqing Tang Ancestral Hall

Travel Guide

Transportation: Take a 15-yuan bus from Guangzhou Railway Station to Tanbu Town Station (about 1 hour), then take a motorcycle for around 8–10 yuan to reach the village.

Chating Village: The Chating Village Committee is located in the southern part of Tanbu Town, covering an area of about 3.13 square kilometers. It governs three natural villages—Chating, Xincun, and Henghu—and 11 villager groups, with a total population of over 1,930. Chating Village’s “Poetry School Street” was built during the Qing Dynasty. Along a 336-meter pond, there are five ancestral halls, nine study halls, four private schools, and one Hongsheng Ancient Temple, making it a second batch provincial-level ancient village. Chating Village Committee is 15 kilometers from Xinhua urban area and 2 kilometers from Tanbu urban area. The village is distributed along both sides of Chanchan Highway, with Chanchan Avenue running through the entire village. The entrance to West Second Ring Expressway is located... (Chating Village detailed information++)

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units