Liou Family Ancestral Hall, Wugou Village Introduction
During the Qing Dynasty, many Hakka immigrants gradually settled and cultivated the Wanluan area in Pingtung. As the population of immigrants grew, the scope of land reclamation expanded, leading to the formation of Wugou Village. Wugou Village is a Hakka settlement that still preserves many historical sites over a hundred years old, such as the Liu Family Ancestral Hall, Jinshidi, Wu Family Quarters, Half-Moon Pond, Guanhai Mountain House, Zhongyong Shrine, Zhong Family Ancient House, Yingquan Zen Temple, and Nanzai Bakgong. These cultural heritage sites link together to create a scenic area in Wugou, with the Liu Family Ancestral Hall being the most famous. The Liu Family Ancestral Hall is the best-preserved Hakka courtyard building in southern Taiwan. Inside the hall, one can find various proverbs encouraging descendants to conduct themselves properly and pursue knowledge, such as "Be humble and courteous in dealings, and be filial and obedient at home," "Patience is the door to virtue, goodness is the family treasure," and "Top-ranking individuals are loyal and filial; two important tasks are studying and farming." These inscriptions reflect the Liu clan's emphasis on knowledge and cultivation, laying the foundation for their family's success. The ancestors of the Liu family came from the Hakka people of Zhao Fu Township, Zhenping County, Jiaying Prefecture, Guangdong Province, and are verified direct descendants of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty. In 1780 (the 45th year of the Qianlong period), descendants of the Liu clan began to cross the waters to reclaim land in Wugou, and in 1864 (the 3rd year of the Tongzhi period), they established the Liu Family Ancestral Hall. The ancestral hall initially comprised two horizontal buildings on the left and right, followed by the addition of "Chongguang Tower," "Ruanli Pavilion," external horizontal buildings, a garden, a Baroque-style wall, and a Mandarin duck pavilion. The architectural structure, materials, and scale demonstrate the power and status of the Liu family at that time. The beams, door panels, stone columns, incense burners, and Jiao Zhi ceramics were sourced from the MinNan area of mainland China, while the entrance and roof edges were designed in a swallow tail style. The elegant curves of the swallow tail at the main entrance are beautifully raised, with the ridge decorated with carved and cut tiles, while the main hall's swallow tail shape is more simplistic, featuring hollow floral tiles on its ridge. The swallow tail architecture symbolizes the aspirations of the clan for academic success and holding high office. The ancestral hall is oriented to the west facing east, surrounded by lush flowering trees near the gate, and there are a pair of washing stone lions at the entrance. In front of the wall, a small river flows gently eastward, symbolizing the continuous prosperity and abundance of the Liu family descendants, creating an elegant and tranquil environment. The architectural layout of the Liu Family Ancestral Hall reflects the early Hakka people's deep reverence for ancestors and their attention to geographical Feng Shui.
