GUANGZHOU. SIGHTS OF INTEREST. Chen Family Temple
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- Open daily from 08.30 am to 05.20 pm
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The Temple of the Chen Family is the largest, best preserved and decorated ancient ancestral joss house built between 1890 and 1894 during the Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. All members of Chen Family lived in 72 counties of the Guangdong province made donations in this building. After the completion of the temple Chen family candidates came here to prepare for the imperial examinations held in Guangzhou. That’s why you can meet this temple called as the Chen Family Academy.
The temple is the rare example of the ancient traditions of architectural design of southern China, Guangdong and Guangxi regions. It’s famous for its lavish decoration. It occupies an area of 15 000 square meters and consist of a rectangular main building, 6 courtyards, nine main halls and 19 other buildings. You’ll see historical figures, scenes and legends represented in the innumerable wood and brick carvings, pottery and stone carvings, lime carving, clay and ash sculptures, brass and cast iron.
Now it’s a site of the Museum of Guangdong Folk Arts and Crafts.
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