Xiangxian Hall in Changle Village, Lanxi, Zhejiang

Xiangxian Hall in Changle Village was built by Jin Lian, the 21st generation of the Jiahui branch of the Jin family of Changle. According to the Jin family genealogy, it was built during the Jingtai period of the Ming Dynasty (1450–1457). Covering an area of 738 square meters, it faces south and features a layout of three rooms, four entrances, and a passageway. The first entrance is the foyer, the second is the secondary hall (theater stage), the third is the main hall, and the fourth is the ancestral hall. The beams and columns inside the hall are thick and tall, and the brackets and beams are exquisitely carved. The front facade of the foyer is designed in the style of a pailou (traditional Chinese archway). The roof of the central bay is elevated, and under the eaves are three layers of elephant-trunk style ang (bracket arms) with seven stepped dougong (interlocking wooden brackets). The roof is in the xieshan style (hip-and-gable roof), with a double-eaved structure in the secondary bays, slightly lower than the central bay, creating a richly layered facade that evokes a sacred atmosphere. Xiangxian Hall is also known as Jiahui Hall, named after the two characters "Xiangxian," which come from a poem by Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi: "A capable minister can establish a state, but having a son doesn't guarantee he'll be virtuous like his ancestors." The hall is primarily used for theatrical performances and funeral ceremonies. The ancient stage in the courtyard bears the inscription "Mirror of Life." The wind blows through the wooden beams, emitting a few mournful sounds, and the costumes hanging on the stage sway gently, as if waiting for the moment to take the stage. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit.