Qionglin Settlement Introduction
Located in the central part of Kinmen Island, Qionglin is primarily inhabited by the Cai clan and is the largest traditional house settlement in Kinmen. In the past, due to the emergence of many talented individuals achieving remarkable success in their careers, the name "Qionglin" was bestowed by the Yongzheng Emperor. Whenever someone became a successful candidate (jinshi), a ancestral hall would be constructed. Therefore, Qionglin boasts more than six ancestral halls, earning the nickname "Seven Halls and Eight Temples.” This includes the already designated national historic site, the Cai Clan Ancestral Hall (Dazong), the 6th generation Zhuqi Gong Ancestral Hall, the 10th generation Baiya Gong Ancestral Hall, the 6th generation Lepu Gong and 10th generation Tingfu Gong Ancestral Hall, the 6th generation Qianting Fang Ancestral Hall, the 11th generation Rongsheng Gong Ancestral Hall, and the 16th generation Cai Shouyu Ancestral Hall, making it one of the settlements with the most ancestral halls on Kinmen Island. The Cai Clan Ancestral Hall serves as the heart of the Qionglin settlement and represents the pride of the prominent Cai family. The lion guardian figures adorned on the back wall of the ancestral hall have become a popular attraction for many visitors and are currently designated as a historic site. The Flower Tile Wall is a new artistic landscape in the Qionglin settlement, located on the wall of a house behind the Qionglin Protection Temple stage. It was created through collaboration between local artist Wu Dingxin and community residents, who used traditional brick kilns to produce vibrant flower tiles that depict the cotton tree, reflecting the lushness of the four seasons!
