Houpu Chen Family Ancestral Hall Introduction
The Chen family is the largest clan in Kinmen, known for their widespread presence and prosperous lineage, earning the nickname "Thirteen Chens." The Chen family ancestral hall, Yingchuan Hall, located in Houpuh, serves as the main temple for the "Thirteen Chens" of Kinmen, with the lantern inscription reading "Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince." Yingchuan Hall was proposed for construction in the 26th year of the Guangxu era (1900) and was built in the 30th year of Guangxu (1904). It underwent renovations in the 63rd year of the Republic of China and in the 86th year, a stone archway with four pillars and three openings was constructed at the entrance, funded by Chen Chongguang. The materials for the stone and the intricate carvings were sourced from the mainland. Coupled with a stone platform donated by the association's secretary-general, the entire ancestral hall is grand and imposing. The Chen family ancestral hall follows traditional wooden architecture with a structure of two stories, nine beams, and three openings. The main walls are made of brick using a dou-gong construction method and flat stone walls. The entrance pillars and interior bear couplets, while the roof is adorned with green cylindrical tiles. Much of the stone carvings are made from Quanzhou white stone and green dou stone, with wooden elements featuring openwork carvings and painted decorations. Notably, the gilded couplets on the "Golden Pillar" were completed in the second year of the Xuantong era (1910), making it one of the finest in Kinmen. Additionally, there were 13 jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) from the Chen family during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and their plaques are prominently displayed in the Zhongxian Temple, which is a notable feature.
