Wong Clan Main Ancestral Hall
- wongkwing
- Apr 13, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 28, 2023
Information on Wong Clan Main Ancestral Hall (黄氏太祖祠) at Guangdong Province (广东省), Xinhui County (新会县), Tianhe Town (天河乡), Sanbao Village (三宝村).
(photo: kc wong)
Wong Clan Main Ancestral Hall (黄氏太祖祠) is located in Sanbao Village (三宝村), Xinhui County (新会县), Guangdong Province (广东省). The date of its establishment is unknown. The ancestral hall of the Wong clan first ancestor arrived in Sanbao Village (三宝村) , and the ancestral halls of the Wong clan in other surrounding villages branch from here. A few pieces of flagpole stones (旗杆石) are still kept on the left side in front of the ancestral hall. It was used as a nursery during the Cultural Revolution.
The ancestral hall is a place not only for worshiping ancestors, it is for community activities, such as for the clan social gatherings, elementary education, as well as weddings and funerals.
Drawing of Wong Clan Main Ancestral Hall.
The memorial tablet of "Ancestors of Wong"(黄太祖历代祖先) in the ancestral hall。
The stone pillars on both sides are the generation poem (字辈联) .
《志学祖功业 思齐嘉国贤》
《传成维本务 济世有裕芳》
aspiring to learn from the ancestors merit, think and equalling a man of virtue and talent.
passed on from generation to generation is one's job, offer help to people have a great reputation.
《黄氏祖训》
骏马登程往异乡
任从胜地立纲常
年深外境犹吾境
日久他乡即故乡
朝夕莫忘亲命语
晨昏须荐祖宗香
但愿苍天垂庇佑
三七男儿总炽昌
款“敬录一百一十七世祖峭山公遗子诗，乙未年春黄广华书“ 2015年
The《黄氏祖训》poem by the 117th Ancestor Wong Qiaoshan (峭山公):
Ride on the road to other places, freely find a good environment,
build your own business, and revitalize the moral family.
Over time, the outside world will become our familiar place,
and the unfamiliar country will become your hometown.
Although you are far away, you must not forget what your parents said to you,
don’t forget to worship the ancestors in the morning and evening.
I wish God bless,
all 21 children can prosper
The ancestral hall is dedicated to the ancestors of the Wong Clan, the first ancestor arrived in Sanbao Village, up to the sixth generation ancestors.
The six-generation ancestors portrait scroll duplicated in 1800, passed down for 219 years (May 2019) was badly damaged.
The preface of the six-generation ancestors portrait scroll (duplicate copy): The 15th ancestor Wong Hin Cheong (黄显章) copied the ancestor scroll from Qiao Mei (乔美房世) in the year of 1800 (庚申年).
The format of writing the preface is evasive out of reverence. There are places where there is a space, another line is written with one space higher, and the name is written in smaller characters.
口口口口妣暨
口口口图像序
闻之莫為之前虽美弗彰莫為之后虽盛弗传此為
古今人后先辉映者而言也即祖孙之嗣续何独不
然吾黄氏由
祖知进公至
伯禧伯祥伯䄎伯裕公凡五世其间功德之昭垂箕裘
之克绍著于家乘者详矣此何待后人敬述哉然
口口能不因斯图而重有感也斯图曷昉乎是葢昔
年乔美房世藏 先轴我子若孙以不获岁时展拜
為歉 廼于庚申岁爰倣而摹之图成显章敬诏族人
而告之曰礼有之僾然如见愾然如闻又曰视无形
听无声我祖若宗之所传者頼有是图也我祖若宗
所未传者不仅在是图也由所传以得其所未传仰
对之余肃然兴起于以钦承世德恢宏先绪繼繼绳
繩緜緜翼翼语云子孙才族将大则前人之所望于
后人者豈不伟哉是為序
时
嘉庆六年岁次辛酉季秋吉旦
赐进士出身文林郎
特授潮州府儒学教授十五世孙显章顿首敬撰并书
Interpretation of the preface:
口口口口deceased mother and
口口口portraits preface
Heard about it, "No one introduced him, Even if there is a wonderful talent, it will not praise. No one is heir, Even if you have meritorious deeds, they will not pass down."
This is regarding at all times , the successor and his predecessor, first reflected and show each other's achievements.
Regarding succession from generation to generation，Isn't it so?
Our Wong clan, from the first ancestor Zhijingong (知进公) to Boxi (伯禧), Boxiang (伯祥)，Bozu (伯䄎), Boyu (伯裕), altogether five generations, outstanding merits and virtues pass on, descendants inherit the works of their ancestors.
Written the genealogy in detail, this does not require a narrate for future generations.
口口 Could it be because of this portraits again thoughts and feelings.
When did this portraits originate？Probably in former years was kept by Qiaomeifangshi (乔美房世),
Regret that our descendants can't worship the ancestor portrait scroll at certain season，
So in "geng shen" (庚申) year 1800, duplicated a copy of the this portraits,
Hin Cheong (显章) tell the clan members respectfully
《礼记·曲礼》say：there is as if seeing a figure and hearing a sigh. express the thoughts of the deceased relative.
My ancestors are passed on to future generations to rely on this portraits,
my ancestors have not been passed on to future generations, not on this picture,
by way of the passed on to obtain those have not been passed on.
After admiration, Respectfully rise, respectfully inherit the virtues of the ancestors, carry forward the ancestors' merits, and passed on from generation to generation.
As the saying goes： Clever and capable descendants, the clan will be strong, this is the expectations of the predecessors for future generations
Aren’t these all great and praiseworthy,
With this as the preface.
The 6th Year of Emperor Jiaqing (嘉庆) 1801, Autumn, the 1st day of the lunar month (吉旦)
Granted the title of associate metropolitan graduates (同进士出身), Gentleman-litterateur (文林郎)
Instructor in Confucian of Chaozhou prefectural school (潮州府儒学教授) ,15th generation descendant Xin Cheong (显章) kowtow (顿首) respectfully write (敬撰并书)
Qiaomeifangshi (乔美房世):
4th generation ancestor 原杰翁
Relocate to Xinhui (新会县) 苏村 学山堂之阳（1354）
Relocate to Xinhui (新会县) Qiaomeili (乔美里)（1384）
Some flagpole stones still remains on the left side of the ancestral hall. The stone inscription on the far right flagpole stone is vague, and the three characters "53" (五十三) can be seen. Based on the known information:
Source: National Library of China - Chinese Ancient Books Database (Request number: 地330.11/139) / 广州府志, 戴肇辰，清光緒5年[1879]
Wong Hin Cheong (黄显章) Scholar "Jinshi" (进士) from Xinhui (新会人) , graduated as "Juren" (举人) at Guangzhou (广州府) in 1788, the 53rd Year of Emperor Qianlong (戊申), according to "Guangzhou Local Chronicles, Volume 44, Promotion and Examination List 13/23".
Source: 紫气堂 blog
《文乡试录 乾隆五十三年戊申科 七》recorded：
The 53rd Year of Emperor Qianlong 1788 (戊申) Provincial Examination Record
Chief Examiner: Principal Examiner: 茅元铭（右庶）, Deputy Examiner: 纳麟宝（司业）
A total of 71 provincial graduate Juren (举人)，14 sub-list (副榜)
50th, Wong Hin Cheong (黄显章), Xinhui (新会), zengsheng (增生)
zengsheng (增生): In the imperial examination system, the number of students added to the official quota of Linsheng (廪生). The number of increase is for the enrollment of students and second-class of shengyuan (生员); the number of places is fixed.
shengyuan (生员) in the Qing Dynasty were divided into three classes. The first class is linsheng (廪生) who enjoyed living allowances from the government and received four or two taels (silver cash) per year; The second class is zengsheng (增生); the third class is fussing (附生).
The flagpole stone is a native of Xinhui County (新会县). Wong Hin Cheong (黄显章) , the 15th generation ancestor, was graduated in the 53rd Year of Emperor Qianlong (1788) as Juren (举人) .
The flagpole stone on the far left inscription is "The 63rd graduated Juren (举人) in the supplement Provincial Examination in the 6th Year of Emperor Xianfeng 1856 (丙辰)". Based on the following known information:
Source: National Library of China - Chinese Ancient Books Database (Request number: 地330.11/139）/ 广州府志，戴肇辰，清光緒5年[1879]
According to "Guangzhou Local Chronicles, Volume 46, Promotion and Examination List 15/15" the 6th year of Emperor Xianfeng 1856 (丙辰) supplemented Provincial Examination for 1855 (乙卯) , with a total of 79 provincial graduate Juren (举人) .
Source: 紫气堂 blog
《文乡试录 咸丰六年乙卯科 四十》recorded：
The 6th year of Emperor Xianfeng 1856 (丙辰) supplemented Provincial Examination for 1855 (乙卯) Guangdong Provincial Examination Record
Chief Examiner: Principal Examiner: 王发桂（鸿胪）, Deputy Examiner: 张兴仁（陕西道）
A total of 79 provincial graduate Juren (举人)，14 sub-list (副榜)
63th, Wong Yi (黄怡), 28 years old, Nanhai (南海), fusheng (付生)
fusheng (附生): one of the name of the shengyuan (生员) students in the imperial examination system. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there was a system of taking supplementary students outside the prefectural and county schools, so it was also called the attached student. fusheng (附生) is the third class shengyuan (生员) students.
The flagpole stone was Wong Yi (黄怡（荣伯）), a native of Nanhai County (南海县), who passed the Provincial Examination in the 6th year of Emperor Xianfeng (1856).
From the 11th year of Emperor Tongzhi (1872) to the 3rd year of Emperor Guangxu (1877), he served as Luoding Zhou (罗定州) instructors second-class (学正).
From the 4th year of Emperor Guangxu (1878) to the 7th year of Emperor Guangxu (1881), he served as YaZhou (崖州) instructors second-class (学正).
It is not clear why the flagpole stone of Wong Yi (黄怡), a native of Nanhai County (南海县), was erected in Wong Clan Main Ancestral Hall.
The flagpole stone inscription in the middle is vague, showing the seven characters "咸丰庚申岁进士" (seen from another photo).
“咸丰庚申”：10th years for Emperor Xianfeng（1860）
“岁进士”：gongsheng (岁贡生).
Gongsheng (贡生) is one of the shengyuan (生员) students who get accepted into the Imperial College. Generally, every year or two or three years, selected students from the prefectural, prefecture, and county schools are selected to be promoted to the Imperial College. It's not a Jinshi (进士) who passed the triennial palace exam .
The "Jizhitang Ancestral Hall Stele“ (建造济志堂碑记) was erected to commemorate the founding of Wong's Ancestral Hall "Jizhitang" (济志堂) in Xiucun village (秀村), Xinhui County (新会县) in the 47th year of Emperor Qianlong 1782 (壬寅) in the Qing Dynasty. The text on the stele recorded some information about the four brothers of the 7th generation ancestors (one living in Hengju Li (恒聚里) and three in Yuewan Li (月湾里).
Source: This picture is taken from the Internet.
The picture above shows the complete flagpole stone in front of the Chen family's ancestral hall (陈家祠堂) in Guangzhou (广州) in the late Qing Dynasty. It was set up by the clan at their own expense when members of a clan obtain scholarly honor, such as gongsheng (贡生), juren (举人), and jinshi (进士). Candidates who are graduated juren (举人) set up a wooden flagpole with one flag bucket (旗斗), and who are graduated Jinshi (进士) to set up wooden flagpole with two flag buckets (旗斗).
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