Dasi Temple in Huan Tan Village, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Dasi Temple is the ancestral hall of the Tian family in Huan Tan. According to the Tian family genealogy, during the Jianyan period of the Song dynasty (1127–1130), Tian Sheng, the Grand Preceptor, escorted the emperor to the south. His son, Tian Zhi, loved the beautiful scenery of Huan Tan, so he settled there and started a family. Tian Sheng was honored as the first ancestor of the Tian family in Huan Tan. Tian Zhi became the Grand Minister of Works, so the descendants of the Tian family named the ancestral hall "Dasi Temple."
Dasi Temple is commonly known as the "General Ancestral Hall," with the hall name "Jingmao Hall." The temple faces south, with three entrances and three rooms, and two side buildings, covering an area of nearly 1,000 square meters. It was rebuilt in 1871, during the Tongzhi period of the Qing dynasty, and has a history of over 140 years. In September 2015, Huan Tan Village invested nearly 2 million yuan to restore Dasi Temple, following the principle of restoring it to its original appearance. It has become an important attraction in the construction of Huan Tan's beautiful countryside demonstration village.
The front hall of the temple has a plaque with the words "Dasi Temple," the middle hall has a plaque with the hall name "Jingmao Hall" and some plaques of successful candidates in the imperial examinations, and the back hall enshrines the ancestral tablets of the Tian family from the first to the sixteenth generation. Today, Dasi Temple houses a family culture exhibition hall, reflecting the virtues of the Tian family, such as respecting ancestors, loving relatives, promoting family harmony, and loving the country and hometown, continuing the glorious history of the Tian family in Huan Tan. It is a key cultural relic in Hangzhou.

Post by VictoriaMcDermott99 | Feb 18, 2025