Chonglan Hsiao Family Ancestral Hall Introduction
Chonglan Xiaojia Ancient House, built in 1880, adopts traditional Minnan architectural style and has a history of over 130 years. It is located in Chonglan Village, Pingtung City. The appearance of the ancient house today gives us a glimpse into the wealth and status of the Xiaojia family, who were prominent merchants passionate about local affairs in Pingtung. During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, the ancestor of the Xiaojia family, Xiao Weitian, crossed the sea to Taiwan and initially engaged in farming work. Later, he started a sugar business from scratch, and as his business flourished, wealth accumulated, making him a wealthy merchant. The Xiaojia family was not only fabulously rich but also had a large number of descendants. To strengthen family bonds, various banquets were often held among relatives. The local saying, “Chonglan Xiao, three days without cooking is not hungry,” reflects the family's abundant lifestyle. The Xiaojia family also made significant contributions to local education. For instance, when Pingtung Academy was established in 1815, the Xiaojia family actively provided financial and manpower support to promote educational affairs, helping the academy get on track. The "Ke Yu Xuan" study hall next to the ancient house was where Xiaojia family members took turns teaching Chinese studies, aiding local residents in learning classical Chinese. After Taiwan's restoration, they even donated space for the agricultural association to help reduce the educational burden on local children. The Xiaojia family, living in luxury, naturally had an impressive residential architecture. The ancient house features Minnan architectural characteristics, distinguished by the use of red bricks, red tiles, and wood as building materials, with a focus on detailed decorations. This includes intricate woodwork such as flower carvings in the corridor, lifelike koi fish wooden sculptures, dragon and tiger wood carvings on the walls, as well as clay sculptures and bamboo-framed windows inspired by Western decorative styles. Nowadays, the Xiaojia Ancient House is an important cultural heritage site in the Chonglan area. To preserve this valuable historical building and promote local community construction projects, it has been repurposed into the "Ah Hou Local Cultural Museum," which houses a local history archive and a creative workshop. Various artistic performances and exhibitions are held from time to time, gradually transforming the area into a cultural living circle.
