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In the late Qing
Dynasty, the Chen clan was very powerful. The head of the clan initiated
a fund-raising activity among 72 of the most respected and wealthy members
of the clan to build the temple. Construction broke ground in 1890 and finished
in 1894.
Chen Clan Temple is
a traditional courtyard house built with bricks and wood. On either side of the
axis line are the main halls, joined by wings. The halls consist of 15 main rooms
in three rows, with a yard attached to every row. The
temple also known as the Chen Clan Academy because the Chen Clan Temple served
as both an altar for ancestor-worship and a school to prepare Chen-clan students
from 72 counties for the national civil service examination. The
decorations of the Chen Clan temple were made by a variety of materials, including
wood, bricks, papers and mortar, pottery, iron and frescoes. Most of the wooden
sculptures are hollowed out and double-sided. The stone sculptures appear on pillars
and foundations. Brick mosaics and sculptures made from paper and mortar are also
of fine craftsmanship. The clay sculptures, the most characteristic decoration
of Guangdong, are usually used to decorate ridges of the roof. | |
