Lu Gong Ancestral Hall

　　The Lu Gong Ancestral Hall was built in memory of Lu Yayu, a Jinshi during the Qianlong era and the Salt Transport Commissioner of Lianghuai. Construction began in the 12th year of the Republic of China (1923) and was completed in the autumn of 1924. It was named “Lu Gong Ancestral Hall,” and its original site was in Luxi Village, Xin Tan Township. At that time, Liu Zhangdong specially invited Kang Youwei, the leader of the reformists during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty, to inscribe a large plaque for the Lu Gong Ancestral Hall titled “Ancestral Hall of Lu, the Transport Commissioner of Lianghuai.” Since then, the “Lu Gong Ancestral Hall” gained widespread fame and later became the name of the locality.

　　Lu Yayu’s given name was Lu Jianzeng, courtesy name Baosun, and alias Yayu Shanren. He was a Jinshi during the Qianlong era. In the 19th year of Qianlong’s reign, he was appointed by imperial decree “to resume his post as Transport Commissioner, and in the 20th year, he managed salt administration affairs.” During this period, he handled a case where salt field households accused the Song family, a salt merchant, of exploitation and oppression. He believed that the salt field households should be responsible for paying land grain taxes and recognized their land ownership rights. He submitted a detailed report to the imperial court, stating his position. The document explicitly stipulated the important principle that “salt fields belong to merchants, but taxes are paid by salt field households.” After approval by the imperial court, it was filed with the Six Ministries. Later generations referred to this detailed report as the “Lu Case.” With the “Lu Case” in place, the issue could have been resolved, but “although the decision was made, the salt field households had not yet had the chance to implement it.” At that time, “a seawater disaster struck,” “and many salt fields were flooded. Jianzeng petitioned to reduce or exempt grain taxes and provided relief aid according to circumstances, for which the salt field households were grateful.” Unfortunately, “good people do not last long,” as the Salt Transport Commissioner Lu was later “framed by his successor and was ultimately sentenced to death,” though fortunately, “later a special imperial decree exonerated him.” Although subsequent disputes between merchants and salt field households could refer to the “Lu Case,” due to the salt merchants’ manipulative tactics and extensive bribery, the “Lu Case” was never properly enforced, and the salt field households continued to suffer cruel exploitation and oppression by the salt merchants.