Sichuan: An Exquisite Ancestral Hall Hidden in an Ancient Village

In a small village in Tiefotown, Zizhong, Sichuan. The cultural relic protection grandma came to open the door with faltering steps. It was truly a bit moving. The Wang Family Ancestral Hall is a typical example of the Southern Sichuan residential architectural style from the Qing Dynasty. Its layout is meticulous, usually adopting the form of a siheyuan (quadrangle courtyard) or multiple courtyards, featuring a Chuan-dou style timber structure, green tile roofs, upturned eaves, and carved beams with painted rafters. The architectural details are extremely exquisite, with superb craftsmanship in wood, stone, and brick carvings, reflecting the high level of architectural artistry during the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. The ancestral hall was used as a school in the early days of the People's Republic of China, so it incorporated many slogans characteristic of that era, which is very interesting. There are several stone tablets in the courtyard. Upon closer inspection, they appear to be a list of donors for renovations during the Qing Dynasty and the Wang family's ancestral precepts from that time. Unfortunately, it was too late in the day, so I couldn't examine them in detail.