Liou Clan Ancestral Hall, Wugou Village Introduction
During the Qing Dynasty, many Hakka immigrants settled and developed the area of Wanjiao in Pingtung. As the immigrant population increased, the scope of cultivation expanded, leading to the formation of Wugou Village. Wugou Village is a Hakka settlement, and the community still preserves many historical sites over a hundred years old, including the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall, Jinshidi (the office of a successful candidate), Wu Family Quarters, Half-Moon Pond, Guanhai Mountain House, Zhongyong Shrine, Zhong Family Ancient House, Yingquan Zen Temple, and Nanzai Bakong, collectively forming a cultural heritage area of Wugou. The Liu Clan Ancestral Hall is the most renowned among them. It is the best-preserved Hakka courtyard building in southern Taiwan, where one can find numerous inscriptions encouraging descendants to conduct themselves with humility and diligence, such as "Act with humility and courtesy at home and be supportive," "Endurance is the door to virtue, and benevolence is the family treasure," and "A first-class person is a loyal subject and filial child; two things are studying and farming," highlighting the Liu clan's value on education and cultivation, and laying the foundation for their prosperous legacy. The Liu ancestors came from the Hakka community in Ba Lun Che Hu, Zhenping County, Jiaying Prefecture, Guangdong Province, and have been verified as direct descendants of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty. Starting in 1780 (the 45th year of the Qianlong reign), the Liu descendants gradually arrived at Wugou to clear the land, establishing the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall in 1864 (the 3rd year of the Tongzhi reign). Initially, the hall consisted of only two horizontal buildings on the left and right, later adding the "Chongguang Tower" and "Ranli Pavilion," an outer horizontal structure, gardens, a Baroque-style wall, and a mandarin duck pavilion. The structure, materials, and scale all showed the power and status of the Liu family at the time. The beams, door panels, stone columns, incense burners, and Chaozhou ceramics came from southern Fujian, while the entrance gate and roof sides featured a swallowtail design. The elegant upward curve of the swallowtail line at the front door is adorned with carved floral decorations, and the simple swallowtail shape in the main hall has openwork flower tiles. This architectural style symbolizes the family's aspirations for academic success and high official appointments. The ancestral hall is oriented west to east, with dense flowering trees surrounding the gatehouse, outer courtyard, and mandarin duck pavilion. At the entrance, there are a pair of stone lions, and in front of the wall flows a gently bubbling stream, symbolizing the Liu family's endless lineage and abundant wealth. The overall environment is elegant and tranquil. The architectural layout of the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall reflects the early Hakka people's deep regard for honoring their ancestors and the importance they placed on geography and Feng Shui.
