Liou Clan Ancestral Hall, Wugou Village Introduction
During the Qing Dynasty, many Hakka immigrants gradually settled and cultivated land in the Wanjian area of Pingtung, leading to an increase in the immigrant population and an expansion of the arable land, which resulted in 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 Clan Ancestral Hall, the Jinshi Residence, the Wu Family Quarters, the Half-Moon Pond, the Guanhai Mountain House, the Zhongyong Shrine, the Zhong Family Ancient House, the Yingquan Zen Temple, and the Nanzha Bogu Shrine, all connected as part of the cultural heritage area of Wugou. Among these, the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall is the most famous. The Liu Clan Ancestral Hall is the best-preserved Hakka compound building in southern Taiwan. Inside, numerous maxims encouraging descendants to be diligent and virtuous are visible, such as "Conduct oneself with humility and courtesy; show filial piety and obedience at home," "Patience is a door to virtue; good deeds are family treasures," and "A first-rate person is a loyal subject and filial child; two things to pursue are learning and farming." These inscriptions reflect the Liu clan's emphasis on knowledge and cultivation and lay the foundation for a prosperous family lineage. The Liu ancestors came from the Hakka community of Bazhan, Zhenping County, Jiaying Prefecture in Guangdong Province and are verified as direct descendants of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty. Starting in 1780 (the 45th year of the Qianlong reign), the descendants of the Liu family gradually arrived in Wugou to cultivate the land, and in 1864 (the 3rd year of the Tongzhi reign), the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall was established. Initially, the ancestral hall featured only two horizontal buildings on the left and right, later expanded with the addition of "Chongguang Lou," "Ranli Ge," outer horizontal buildings, gardens, Baroque-style walls, and a mandarin duck pavilion. The structure, materials, and scale of the architecture showcase the power and status of the Liu family at that time. The hall's rafters, door panels, stone pillars, incense burners, and Jiaozhi pottery all originate from the Minnan region of mainland China. The gate and roof sides feature a swallow-tail design, with elegant curves at the entrance, adorned with carved decorations. The main hall's swallow-tail shape is more unadorned, with the ridge section sculpted with openwork floral tiles, symbolizing the clan members' aspirations for success and high-ranking positions. The orientation of the ancestral hall faces west toward the east, surrounded by dense flowering trees around the gate, courtyard, and mandarin duck pavilion. The entrance is flanked by a pair of stone lions, and a trickling stream flows in front of the wall, symbolizing the Liu family's everlasting lineage and continuous wealth. The overall environment is elegant and tranquil. The architectural layout of the Liu Clan Ancestral Hall reflects the early Hakka people's profound respect for their ancestors and their emphasis on geomancy.
