The Chutai Mai Ancestral Hall

The Chutai Mai Ancestral Hall

The Chutai Mai Ancestral Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Chutai Mai Ancestral Hall is located at No. 5 Jiajia Street, Nawan Village, Nanji Community, Suidong Subdistrict. It was originally built in the 25th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1899). Facing south, it has a width of three bays totaling 9.84 meters and a depth of two courtyards spanning 15.64 meters, covering a total floor area of 153.90 square meters. The structure features a flush-gable roof, wok-handle-shaped gable walls, plaster-relief antique-style ridges, and blue brick and stone foundations. In front lies the former residence of Mai Xinzhi, while to the left and right are streets, alleys, and residential houses; behind are open spaces and more residences.

The front gate spans three bays totaling 9.84 meters in width and two bays totaling 4.2 meters in depth, with a floor area of 38.98 square meters. The main door is situated on the left side, with the front corridor’s eave wall serving as a load-bearing structure. It has stone door jambs, a recessed entryway, and a stone lintel inscribed in relief with “Chutai Mai Ancestral Hall.” The upper inscription reads “Second Spring of the Ji Hai Year in the Guangxu Reign (1899),” and the lower one states “Written by Li Hongzhang.” The wooden door couplet reads “Vast benevolence and virtue pass down through generations; the tung tree blossoms elevate family prestige.” The wall frieze is adorned with murals.

The rear hall spans three bays totaling 9.84 meters in width and three bays totaling 7.1 meters in depth, with a floor area of 69.86 square meters. It is supported by four kwangtung ironwood pillars with stone bases. Two pairs of wooden plaques hang from the pillars. One reads: “The brilliance of Chutai, like starlight, conveys legacy; the scholar's abode embraces ancient and modern wisdom, all praised for their profundity. The broad grace of Guangze Hall sees tung blossoms vying in splendor, casting radiant reflections of literary scriptures and Confucian teachings.” The other reads: “The virtues of the sages inspire steadfast dedication to scholarship; purple mist condenses into ink that must be absorbed. Our ancestors nurtured this ancestral hall, whose merits continually summon auspicious energy — where rosy clouds gather, brilliance naturally arises.” At the center of the hall hangs a wooden plaque inscribed with “Guangze Hall,” with the upper inscription reading “Autumn Day of the Ding Chou Year” and the lower one stating “Established in the Second Spring of the Ji Hai Year in the Guangxu Reign, Written and Inscribed by Sun Jia Ding, Hanlin Bachelor and Minister of Works.” This plaque was reproduced during the ancestral hall’s renovation in 2000. Three stone steps lead up to the front of the hall.

The courtyard in front of the rear hall is paved with granite slabs, with six-rafter verandas on both sides.

The stone lintel inscribed by Li Hongzhang has an interesting backstory. According to villagers, Mai Xinzhi, a native of Nawan Village, served as a physician at the Beiyang Medical Bureau and cured chronic illnesses afflicting both Li Hongzhang and Empress Dowager Cixi. In return, Li Hongzhang agreed to Mai’s request and personally inscribed the plaque for his ancestral hall.

This ancestral hall is the main lineage temple of the Mai clan in Nawan Village and once served as a private school for local children. It is now well-preserved but stands vacant.