The Lan Clan Ancestral Hall "Zhongyu Hall"

　　Zhongyu Hall is situated in Shiyi Village, Chiling Township (formerly Changkeng), Zhangpu County. It was initially constructed in the second year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty and was reconstructed during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty by Lan Li, the Fujian Land Forces Commander-in-Chief. The couplet on the hall’s gate reads: “Branching off from Zhenhai, we trace our roots and honor the virtues of our ancestors; settling by the Changxi Stream, we extend our lineage with literary and martial excellence to inspire future generations.” This indicates that “Zhenhai” refers to the Zhenhai Guard of the Ming Dynasty, a key coastal defense post in Zhangzhou where many civil and military officials rose to prominence. Zhongyu Hall is the ancestral temple of the She ethnic group in southern Fujian. Over the centuries, the Lan descendants of Zhongyu Hall have not only spread throughout the Chiling She Ethnic Township but also migrated to other areas as well as to Taiwan and Southeast Asia, with a total population exceeding 50,000. In prominent positions within Zhongyu Hall hang three imperial plaques: one bestowed by Emperor Kangxi to Lan Li inscribed with “Unstoppable in Every Direction,” another given by Emperor Kangxi to Lan Tingzhen titled “Grand General Who Pacified the Platform,” and a third awarded by Emperor Yongzheng to Lan Dingyuan reading “Just, Upright, Incorruptible, and Enlightened.” These three figures were all renowned officials who contributed significantly to the pacification and governance of Taiwan, collectively known as the “Three Lan Heroes.” Brief introductions to Lan Li, Lan Tingzhen, and Lan Dingyuan are as follows:

　　 Lan Li (1649–1720), a native of Changkeng (now Shiyi Village, Chiling), was a man of imposing stature and exceptional martial prowess in his youth, reputedly strong enough to drag a horse backward. He vowed, “If I do not become a lord or general in the future, I am no true man.” In the 22nd year of the Kangxi reign (1683), he joined Shi Lang, the Fujian Naval Commander-in-Chief, in the campaign to pacify Taiwan. During the Battle of Penghu, he was struck by a cannonball, fell, and had his intestines spill out, staining his battle robe with blood. With the help of his brother, he pushed his intestines back into his abdomen and continued fighting bravely, ultimately contributing to the suppression of Zheng Keshuang’s rebellion and the return of Taiwan to the motherland. Kangxi praised him for “breaking the enemy lines in fierce battle, his merit foremost,” and honored him as the “General with the Burst Belly.” He was successively appointed by Emperor Kangxi as Vice General of Shenmu and General of Xuanhua Prefecture. In the 29th year of Kangxi’s reign (1690), he was transferred to serve as General of Dinghai, Zhejiang; in the 42nd year (1703), he was appointed General of Tianjin; and in the 45th year (1706), he was promoted to Fujian Land Forces Commander-in-Chief. In the 54th year of Kangxi’s reign (1715), when Alabutan rebelled with the support of the Russian Tsar, Lan Li led his four sons to join the campaign under Commander Mu’ersai. Due to his advanced age and the recurrence of old wounds, he passed away in 1720 at the age of 72 in Lantian Village, Tianjin. Two years later, his wife and sons escorted his coffin back to Zhangpu for burial. Throughout his life, Lan Li achieved remarkable military feats. Shi Lang called him a “tiger-like general,” and Emperor Kangxi personally inscribed the plaques “Brave and Resolute, Simple and Uncomplicated” and “Unstoppable in Every Direction” for him.

　　 Lan Tingzhen (1663–1729), courtesy name Jingpu, was from Huxi, Zhangpu County. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign, he served as a company commander in the Dinghai Battalion of Zhejiang. In the 44th year, he was promoted to lieutenant of the Right Battalion of Wenzhou Garrison, then in the 58th year to deputy commander of Penghu and General of Nanao. In the 60th year, he volunteered to lead forces in the campaign against Zhu Yigui’s rebel army in Taiwan. After the pacification of Taiwan, Lan Tingzhen was ordered to remain on the island to temporarily serve as Commander-in-Chief for three years. During this time, he proposed a series of visionary suggestions and measures for Taiwan’s governance and development, exerting a profound influence on Taiwan’s historical progression. His actions demonstrated his political foresight and administrative capability regarding China’s territorial issues, thereby cementing his place in Taiwanese history.

　　 Lan Dingyuan (1680–1733), a native of Changkeng (now Chiling), was diligent in studying diverse classics and economic theories in his youth. His literary talent earned him the recognition of Zhangpu County Magistrate Chen Ruxian. When Fujian Governor Zhang Boxing established Ao Feng Academy in Fuzhou, Lan Dingyuan was invited to join. Zhang Boxing held him in high esteem, calling him a “talent capable of governing the world and a supporter of my principles.” In the 60th year of the Kangxi reign, when a peasant uprising led by Zhu Yigui broke out in Taiwan, Lan Dingyuan was recruited by his kinsman and Nanao General Lan Tingzhen to serve as an advisor in the military campaign to suppress the revolt. He conducted in-depth investigations into local conditions, devised strategic plans, and proposed 19 measures for Taiwan’s governance, authoring works such as Records of the Pacification of Taiwan and Eastern Collected Writings. These provided practical recommendations for Taiwan’s governance and development, earning him the title “Master of Taiwan Governance.” In the 6th year of the Yongzheng reign (1728), upon recommendation by Grand Secretary Zhu Shi, the imperial court appointed Lan Dingyuan as magistrate of Puning, Guangdong. In the 11th year of Yongzheng’s reign (1733), he was promoted to prefect of Guangzhou but passed away just one month into his tenure at the age of 54. A pillar inscription at his memorial park summarizes his lifetime contributions: “His strategies were long-term and far-reaching, making him a master of Taiwan planning; his governance was strict yet benevolent, marking him as a true talent for governing the realm.”