Ruan Ancestral Shrine

[Overview] [Wen Chi Chu] [Architectural Art] [Interview Mayor Mr. Ruan Hou-Jie] [Aerial Photo]

From aerial photos we can see Ruan ancestral shrine is a Siheyuan with two buildings, meaning a Siheyuan building with two courtyards

Ruan ancestral shrine was built by Ruan Peng-Cheng brothers from the fifth wife in Daoguang 20 of Qing dynasty (year 1840 in Gregorian calendar). It has 178-year history up to now.

In Showa year 11 (1936) they torn down the front yard building and built today’s Ruan ancestral shrine as family temple. The house has 82-year history up to now！

Plaques “Chenliu Mianyan” and “Zhulin Gaogai” hang in the hall.

In early Han dynasty, people of Ruan clan migrated southward from yellow river area in Jingzhou, Gansu and settled in today’s Chenliu, Henan area. They became prominent family in Jin dynasty, so the clans used Chenliu as their jun name or hall name.

Among Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, the representative of Neo-Taoism, the name Ruan has two people – Ruan Ji, Ruan Xian. Therefore, Ruan ancestral shrine put the “Zhulin Gaogai” plaque in the main house. Gaogai means high moral principle and big heart, and it is used as family instruction.

Handwritings on hall plaques “Chenliu Mianyan” and “Zhulin Gaogai” were from calligrapher Wang Lan-Shen（1891~1971）.

Archway outside was built in front of the shrine in year 75 in Minguo calendar (1986).

New archway of Ruan ancestral shrine completion record

Autumn in year Bingyin is the 100th our Changhua ancestor remembrance ceremony. The entire clan should strive to expand this big ceremony which is once in fifty years. After suggestions from clan members, clan elders gathered to decide on renovate our shrine, clean the surroundings, replace the old with the new. We also built this archway in front of the courtyard to remember ancestors. The budgets of this archway are donated by our clan members. Later on the day of autumn ceremony, clan members all come here to pay their respects, standing in lines with manner, remembering the virtue of ancestors, and passing down to future generations. It is written as a record on the stone to remind the offspring.
Minguo Dingmao February 1st.

By Taipei City, Pingtung County, Changhua County Ruan Clan Association

Written by offspring Ruan Le-Hua, Ruan Lian-Zhou

Photo source: Hemei Cultural History Easy Read (provided by Lin Zong-De)

Ruan family in Hemei came to Taiwan from Fujian in Yongzheng year seven of Qing dynasty. Ruan ancestral shrine is the earliest clan meeting hall in Ruan family.
The main house of ancestral shrine worships three big tablets, ancestor names from every generation in Ruan family are in there.
Hemei’s Ruan clan held the 100th Taiwanese Ruan clan ancestor remembrance ceremony here following ancient tradition in Minguo calendar year 75. It attracted hundreds of clan people from everywhere in Taiwan or overseas. It was an unprecedentedly grand occasion.
Up to now, Ruan clan still holds two ceremonies in spring and autumn. Spring ceremony holds on February 15 Lunar calendar, and autumn ceremony holds on August 15.

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Wen Chi Chu

「“Wen Chi Chu” was the building constructed on the side of backyard brick house in Ruan family house. Ruan ancestors built this Wen Chi Chu to save their children from having to travel five kilometers to study at Daodong Tutorial Academy. They hired teacher to live here and answered questions from Ruan children. This house was used as private school for their children.

The three words “Wen Chi Chu” are engraved on the relief of the wooden door. It’s difficult to recognize the words from one side of it, and the other side has completely peeled off. You can hardly see Wen Chi Chu from its new mosaic bricks.

Wen Chi Chu represents a cultural relic from old private school. It has special meaning

Due to Wen Chi Chu, most of elders in Ruan family can read Chinese. Because of the foundation in childhood, the Ruan offspring has great achievements in Hemei area. This seems to prove private school is an important cultural relic from ancestors. It built the foundation of their education.
The 11th generation offspring Mr. Ruan Gang-Meng was former Changhua County Magistrate；The 12th generation offspring Mr. Ruan Hou-Jie is current Hemei Town Mayor.

Hemei historical landmark Daodong Tutorial Academy was built by proposals from Ruan Peng-Cheng, Chen Jia-Zhang and gongsheng Wang Zu-Pei in Xianfeng year 7. Ruan Peng-Cheng was the director of the academy. Because of Ruan family’s contribution to culture and education in Hemei, Hemei Township named the road to Ruan ancestral shrine Dongpo Road when it reorganized road names. The name comes from Su Dongpo when he educated Qiongzhou.。

The three photos above are taken from the book Thirty Years of Hunting Hemei.
Its author Mr. Huang Zhi-Liang agreed to let us use them.

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Architectural Art of Ruan Ancestral Shrine

Enter from the archway, “Under Zijing Branches” and “Sweet Smells of Orchid and Osmanthus “ are inscribed on the rounded flowerbed in the front yard of “Ruan ancestral shrine.” They means brothers in harmony, good virtues will pass down forever.

There are two pre-kilning brick carvings on the two sides of the left hulong wall. One the left is “Sunrise Kirin,” and on the right is “Furong Fenghuang.” It is very rare to see pre-kilning brick carvings in this big size. It has very high artistic value.

Poem and paintings on the wall is the work of color painting master Ke Huan-Zhang during Shōwa period. The themes are filial piety story and inscription in history. During the renovation in Minguo year 62, Hemei color painting master Chen Ying-Pai repainted it. (right photo below)

The main house of ancestral shrine was reconstructed the first building of original Daoguang house in Shōwa year 12 (1937). Its width is three open, has six leaf doors. “Pass down family values, follow ancestors’ good virture” and “famous article, inspires future poems and books” are engrave on the left and right door (blue doors), full of expectations for future generations. (left photo above)

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Interview Hemei Mayor~The 12th Generation Ruan Offspring in Taiwan
Photos, articles of Ruan ancestral shrine and Xiuyi Hall in this project, other than photos shot by ourselves, are provided by Ruan Hou-Jie mayor and its family elders. The content of interview is included in the project, so we don’t make an extra Q&A list.

Aerial Photos of Ruan Ancestral Shrine~ Taken by Shin-gang Primary School director Wang Sheng-Xian (click thumbnails to see big size)

Ruan ancestral shrine is divided into two parts, one is a historical house, and the other is a memorial archway.

The historical house was built during Daoguang period of Qing dynasty.
The archway was built in year Dingmao, year 1987 in Gregorian calendar or year 76 in Minguo calendar

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