Luo Ancestral Hall in Linhe Ancient City, Hezhou, Guangxi.

Luo Ancestral Hall was built in the 17th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1891), covering an area of about 2,300 square meters, with a building area of about 1,300 square meters. The plaque above the entrance is engraved with the words "Luo Ancestral Hall" on a bluestone slab, and the couplet on both sides is written in black regular script with relief carvings: "The surname comes from the Luo Kingdom, and the county is Yuzhang." These eight words accurately summarize the origin of the Luo surname, the hall name, and the county name. The most distinctive architectural feature is the gable of the ancestral hall, which resembles a wok ear. This type of Lingnan architecture is also known as a "wok ear house." The wok ear symbolizes the two ears of an official hat, meaning "to stand out from the crowd." Only families with official titles could use this architectural style, which was a symbol of the noble status of the Luo family at that time. The ancestral hall is made of blue bricks and tiles. Upon entering the main gate, there is a reception hall, where a special structure called the "Zhuangyuan Gate" is set up. The Zhuangyuan Gate is a unique structure not found in many ancestral halls. Behind the Zhuangyuan Gate is a courtyard, and beyond the courtyard is the council hall, where the Luo family held meetings and followed family rules. It was also the highest authority of the Luo family. On both sides of the council hall are side rooms, and further inside is a second courtyard. The rooms on both sides are called "loyalty and righteousness rooms." It is said that in feudal society, there was a clear hierarchy, with civil officials being more important than military officials. Therefore, the civil room was on the left, called the "loyalty hall," and the military room was on the right, called the "righteousness hall." Now, it has been changed to the "loyalty and filial piety hall," which has more contemporary significance. Further inside is the sacrificial hall, where 273 ancestral tablets of the Luo family are placed. The ancestral tablets are made of camphor wood and engraved with the names of the Luo ancestors. A large incense burner is placed on the sacrificial altar, and the incense burns all year round, turning the ancestral tablets a golden yellow, adding to the solemnity and majesty. Inside and outside the ancestral hall, there are many traditional landscape murals, with profound meanings and exquisite craftsmanship. Visitors cannot help but stop and admire them, praising them endlessly! Luo Ancestral Hall in Linhe Ancient City is ancient and solemn. Walking into the ancestral hall, people cannot help but marvel at its architectural beauty and experience the majesty of the Luo family shrine. Ancestral halls are a medium for spreading cultural awareness of surname blood relations, a witness to the rise and fall of families, and are regarded as sacred places by surnames. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit.