Memorial Hall of the Chen Family


Located at 7 Zhongshan Road in Guangzhou, Memorial Hall of the Chen Family was built between 1890
and 1894 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing dynasty, and it is the largest, best preserved,
and best decorated ancient architecture in Guangdong province.

The temple was built to honor and worship family Chen’s ancestors, and the money is donated by
Chen’s families in 72 counties of Guangdong Province as well as some overseas members of Family
Chen.

The ancestral hall was also used as a learning and living place for generations of the Chen family who
came to the town to take the imperial examination. So the temple is also known as the Chen Family
Shuyuan (academy of classical learning).

Occupying an area of 15,000 sq m, Memorial Hall of the Chen Family is composed of six courtyards, nine main halls, and nineteen buildings. With
a traditional Guangdong style architecture, the temple is especially renowned for its beautiful decorations.

The compound was constructed in the traditional Chinese symmetrical style and the main hall, the Juxian Hall is in the center of the temple. Juxian
Hall was once a place for clansmen to assemble before the establishment of the temple and now it is used as an ancestral hall. In front of the hall
is a stone gazebo surrounded by stone balustrades. In the hall there is an exquisitely carved folding screen which is an excellent example of
woodcarving.

It is possible to see the many arts and crafts used in the different styles of wood carvings, stone carvings, brick carvings, pottery sculptures, murals
and bronze and iron castings in the temple. All this workmanship makes the temple simple, elegant and magnificent. The woodcarvings in
particular are of great importance. The most important of which is a teak screen on a corridor carved on both sides on which the vivid images tell
many historical folk stories. The majestic buildings, spacious and bright halls and the quiet courtyards are a fine example of the traditional
architectural style of southern China.

The Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family was also occupied by the Guangdong Folk-Arts Museum.
Tourists can appreciate the many handicrafts of Guangdong Province including enameling, embroidery,
porcelain, lacquer work and paper cutting.