ANCESTOR'S TEMPLE OF THE CHEN CLAN

Located within the grounds of the Guangdong Folk Art Museum, the Chen Clan Ancestral Temple was erected in 1894 by members of the Chen clan from 72 Guangdong villages. Originally, it served as an assembly hall, ancestral temple and academy for young students preparing for imperial examinations. Although no longer in use today, it remains Guangzhou's most remarkable temple for its magnificently preserved ceramic figurines. The detailed friezes illustrate scenes of daily life and popular legends, reminiscent of imperial tales.

In front of the entrance door, stone drums testify to the high social status of the Chen clan, once reserved for elite families. Next door, the eight immortals stand vigil, embodying the values of longevity and prosperity. The sides of the courtyard are home to small Cantonese opera scenes, enlivening the temple with heroic tales. Above, wooden sculptures of the Kingdom of the Five Fighters recount epic battles drawn from local legends.
As you enter the temple, two majestic guardians protect the enclosure from malevolent spirits. Opposite, imposing gates, once opened only on the occasion of great ceremonies or the emperor's visit, recall the solemnity of the place. The temple, once used as an academy for imperial examinations, still resonates with the echoes of ancestral prayers and legends handed down through the generations.