Ancestral Hall of Mao Family in Yongsheng County, Lijiang

Chinese Name:永胜县毛氏宗祠
English Name: Ancestral Hall of Mao Family in Yongsheng County, Lijiang

The Mao Clan Ancestral Hall is located in Maojiawan, Fengyu Village Committee, Chenghai Town, Yongsheng County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. This is the place where the ancestors of the Yongsheng Mao Clan and the Shaoshan Mao Clan, Mao Taihua, settled, lived, and left their descendants during the reclamation of the Lancangwei. Originally, the hall served as the base for Mao Taihua’s hundred households and was first established in the early years of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt by Mao Yisheng, the eleventh descendant of Mao Qing Er, who served as the former leader of a thousand households, transforming it into the Mao Clan Ancestral Hall. The hall covers an area of 2,400 square meters, with a building area of 800 square meters.

Historical Evolution

In the early 1950s, it was transformed into Fengyu Central Primary School. In 2003, it was restored and rebuilt, now covering an area of 2,534 square meters, with a building area of over 900 square meters. It consists of 13 rooms, divided into the main hall and two exhibition halls: the northern exhibition hall is the “Mao Clan Cultural Exhibition Room,” and the southern exhibition hall is the “Border Culture Exhibition Room.”

The renovated Mao Clan Ancestral Hall features Ming and Qing architectural styles, with flying eaves and carved beams, all set against red walls and green tiles, exuding an ancient and solemn atmosphere. The plaque above the main hall door reads “Dunben Hall,” and the screen in the hall features the words “Congting Yixun” (Listening to the Teachings of the Yi).

The front gate features a plaque inscribed by Jiang Yong, the then county head of Yongsheng, reading “Mao Clan Ancestral Hall.” On either side are the four characters “Zhongling Yuxiu.” The couplets say, “Focus on the Classics of the World,” and “Uphold the Family’s Reputation,” emphasizing the importance of scholarly pursuits and the classic heritage of the Mao Clan.

This vividly reflects the fine family traditions of this ancient and great family. On the surrounding white walls, several powerful poems, imitating the true works of Mao Zedong, showcase the majesty of a great leader who pointed out the rivers and mountains and roared through the winds and clouds, fully demonstrating Yongsheng’s profound historical and cultural heritage.

Ancestral Background

According to the “Genealogy of the Shaoshan Mao Clan,” Mao Taihua is revered as the ancestor of the Shaoshan Mao Clan, originally from Longcheng, Jizhou, Jiangxi Province. Research by Mao cultural scholars confirms that the Yongsheng Mao Clan also regards Mao Taihua as their ancestor, with the same ancestral home in Longcheng, Jizhou, Jiangxi Province. Therefore, the Shaoshan Mao Clan and the Yongsheng Mao Clan share the same ancestor and origin.

Ancient Stone Tablet as Evidence

The tombstone of Mao Qing Er is located in Dayangping, Xishan, Chenghai, Yongsheng. During the Great Leap Forward, it was pried away to build a drainage ditch and later collapsed due to a mountain flood, rendering the ditch abandoned and the stone’s whereabouts unknown. After extensive inquiries and the arduous searches of Mao Tangshi, Mao Huashi, and Mao Zhineng, the tablet was finally found in late June 2001. The inscription reads:

“Our clan originally hails from Longcheng, Jizhou, Jiangxi. Our ancestor, Lord Taihua, served in military campaigns and settled in Lancangwei. Due to military merit, he was transferred and brought his eldest son and fourth son inland. The tomb of the first-generation ancestor, the General of Loyalty and Military Virtue, is dedicated to Mao Gong, also known as Qing Er. Mao Yisheng, the eleventh descendant and former leader of a thousand households, led the clan in a reestablishment. On the 7th year of Kangxi, during the spring of the Wushen year.”

This tablet is now located in the Yongsheng Mao Zedong Ancestor Memorial Park. The inscription indicates that Mao Yong is the second son of Mao Taihua, the first ancestor of the Yongsheng Mao Clan, and the Yongsheng Mao Clan is a direct descendant of Mao Taihua.

Genealogical Confirmation

The genealogy of the Yongsheng Mao Clan states that their ancestral home is Longcheng, Jizhou, Jiangxi (now Jishui County, Jiangxi), with Mao Taihua as the original ancestor, and his sons Mao Qing Er and Mao Qing San as the first ancestors.

Like other families in Yongsheng, there is a clear distinction between the original ancestor and the first ancestor. For example, Cai Changfu, a compatriot of Mao Taihua, also migrated westward due to military merit, bringing his wife and eldest and second sons inland, leaving three sons in Lancangwei to inherit military households. The descendants of the Cai Clan also regard Cai Changfu as their original ancestor, while the three sons, Cai Guishan, are recognized as the first ancestors.

Altar Tablet

In villages like Fengyu Maojiawan, Hekou Mao Village, Duoguo, and Zhongzhou, which are home to Mao clansmen, the altar tablets placed in their central halls all mark their ancestor Mao Taihua, with the ancestral home listed as Longcheng, Jizhou, Jiangxi.

Similar Environment

Those who are virtuous love the mountains, and the wise love the waters. The geographical environment of the Shaoshan Mao Clan is similar to that of the Yongsheng Maojiawan, Xihu Maojiawan, and Wengpeng Mao Village, all built beside mountains and waters, resulting in similar village appearances. This suggests that when Mao Qing I and Mao Qing IV did not settle in Xiangxiang but established roots in Shaoshan, it was indeed a result of Mao Taihua reflecting on his legendary life and reminiscing about Lancangwei. The Mao Clan’s settlement in Shaoshan gives a sense of returning to Fengyu Maojiawan, upholding tradition and listening to teachings.

Generational Consistency

The number of generations (or branches) and population of the Mao Clan in both regions has largely matched over the past 600 years. The Mao Clan proclaims, “Establish distinguished scholars and serve the dynasty well, with ancestral thoughts extending far and generations inheriting prosperity.” The twenty-character generational sequence (also known as the generational order or clan sequence) shows that the Shaoshan Mao Clan extends from ancestor Mao Taihua to Mao Zedong as the twentieth generation, while the Yongsheng Mao Clan, also from Mao Taihua to the “Ze” generation, is likewise the twentieth generation. Both families have continued to the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth generations in the 1990s.

Population Similarity

In the 33rd year of Hongwu, due to military merit, Mao Taihua was allocated to Hubei Province, bringing his wife, Wang, and his eldest son Qing I, along with his fourth son Qing IV inland, while leaving his second son Qing II and third son Qing III in Lancangwei to inherit military households. Six hundred years later, the descendants of Qing I and Qing IV in Shaoshan, along with those of Qing II and Qing III in Yongsheng, have approximately equal populations, each spanning twenty-four to twenty-five generations, with around 4,000 descendants, resulting in little difference in population between the two regions.

Similar Dialects

Regardless of the passage of hundreds of years, the descendants of the Shaoshan and Yongsheng Mao Clans have largely retained similar languages passed down from their ancestors, especially the ancient dialects such as “Mo,” “Xi,” and “Yazi.” Many Yongsheng people have experienced being mistaken for Hunan people while traveling outside their home area.

Shared Customs

The culture of Hunan and Hunanese emphasizes Confucianism. Both the Shaoshan Mao Clan and the Yongsheng family customs respect education and hold ancestral worship in high regard. It is likely that the rituals for tomb-sweeping during the Spring Festival are more elaborate than those during Qingming, making Yongsheng a notable place in this regard.

Cultural Consistency

The cultural heritage of the Shaoshan and Yongsheng Mao Clans is consistent. The clan’s historical respect is rooted in “Xihe,” with the main hall called “Xihe Hall,” and the branch hall called “Dunben Hall.” The phrases “Branch from Xihe,” “Climbing from Xihe,” “Standing Out in the Doorway,” “Inheriting the Classics,” “Holding the Family Reputation,” and “Listening to the Teachings of the Yi” serve as treasured possessions and classic teachings of the family. They remind descendants to remember their heritage for generations, while also serving as couplets and teachings in their homes, ensuring these values are passed down and promoted.