The Imperial Scholar House and Cheng's Ancestral Shrine in First Chinese Fortified City in Northern Formosa【北台第一城, 新竹的進士第與鄭氏家廟祭祖】
An Open Day during Lunar New Year for the 1853 built Cheng Family Ancestral Shrine at Hsinchu
Cheng Family Ancestral Shrine(鄭氏家廟) in Old Town Hsinchu (新竹) is one of the oldest Han-Chinese family shrines and temples in the clan trees in northern Formosa and an important destination of a Chinese fortification cultural route before Taipei got civilized and prospered in recent centuries. There are only two days in a year for Ancestral Offering (祖先祭拜) as an Open Day receiving wider audience in Hsinchu and family members alike. One is held at the Winter Solstice (冬至) and another takes place at the first full moon day after the Lunar New Year, i.e., The Lantern Festival (元宵節, 上元節) which is what this write-up has mainly captured and recorded.
The following tour to this grand occasion seeing enormous splendour and glory of the tradition inside the Cheng's shrine temple was initiated by the Taiwan Old Family Group (聯社-台灣老家族) Dr. Liu (劉會長) and the private group members based in Hsinchu on day of Feb 8th of 2020. The group also have done Taiwan Old Clan Shrine visits at the Chens at Taipei(台北陳德星堂) and Lins at Taichung (台中林氏祖廟) which were two of the main Chinese surnames in modern day Taiwan and documentaries of the respective shrine history and visits were recorded by Katy Hung's blog.
The following tour to this grand occasion seeing enormous splendour and glory of the tradition inside the Cheng's shrine temple was initiated by the Taiwan Old Family Group (聯社-台灣老家族) Dr. Liu (劉會長) and the private group members based in Hsinchu on day of Feb 8th of 2020. The group also have done Taiwan Old Clan Shrine visits at the Chens at Taipei(台北陳德星堂) and Lins at Taichung (台中林氏祖廟) which were two of the main Chinese surnames in modern day Taiwan and documentaries of the respective shrine history and visits were recorded by Katy Hung's blog.
Photo: Dr. Liu of Taiwan Old Family Group led to visit historic Cheng's Ancestral Shrine
Photo: Group Photo of the Taiwan Old Family Group Member with a ceremonial representative member from Chengs of Hsinchu
Hsinchu Old Walled City since 1723, First Han Chinese Fort City in the Northern Formosa
Before Taipei became the official royal chartered city of the northern Formosa in 1885, Hsinchu was the first walled city in the northern Taiwan chartered by the Chin Royal Court(清廷). The area used to be home to Pocaal (竹塹社, the Chinese presentation as Tiksam was named much later for the bamboo woodland and ditch landscape, see ref) of the low land Plain Taokas Tribe (道卡斯族) before arrival of massive Chinese immigrants from Chuan-Zhou-Fu (泉州府) speaking Holo (河洛話, 福佬話) language at the lower half of Hohkien (福建) Province of southern continent China.
As the major population group was made of Holo speaking Chinese from Chuanzhou, a need to defend the original indigenous Pocaal group's push-back and isolate itself out from the growing number of Hakka (客家) speaking settlers from further inland and southern province in China into unconquered hill lands of northern Formosa, a initial proposal was to laid a walled city circling around the Holo speaking hub at Hsinchu neighborhood, a tiny spot north of Changhua Prefecture (彰化) which were largely stationed by Holo speaking Chinese settlers a century ago.
In 1733, the Tamsui Coastal Defense Office (淡水海防廳) was moved up to Pocaal from Changhua administrative city. The place name inherited from original Pocaal group as 竹塹 (Dihkan) in Chinese writing. However, this Chinese 竹塹 presentation of the city name mainly gained its name from the first bamboo city walls as the the 新竹 literally means the newly built bamboo (竹 in Chinese writing) walled city planted around the residential border since 1733.
In 1733, the Tamsui Coastal Defense Office (淡水海防廳) was moved up to Pocaal from Changhua administrative city. The place name inherited from original Pocaal group as 竹塹 (Dihkan) in Chinese writing. However, this Chinese 竹塹 presentation of the city name mainly gained its name from the first bamboo city walls as the the 新竹 literally means the newly built bamboo (竹 in Chinese writing) walled city planted around the residential border since 1733.
In early days of Manchu Chin China administration over Formosa, stone and brick walls fortification were largely banned as a result of frequent upheavals inside the island and strong forts made of solid bricks and stones could be easily taken by the local riots and treated for a stronghold that scarcely stationed Manchu Chin Chinese army would need to take it back with a huge cost. When Hsinchu's status raised from village to the regional prefecture city from 1733 to 1870s, the area north of the modern day Taichung(台中) city's River Da-Jia (大甲溪) and all the way up to northeastern Keelung city(基隆) belonged to Tamsui Prefecture of Taiwan(淡水廳) with the regional capital based in Hsinchu.
Figure: The Map of Walled City at Hsinchu in the northern Formosa around 1850s with the left hand side an indication of Cheng's family estate out of the north"北門/拱辰門" of the city wall as "北郭園" (Estate out of the north of city wall), sitting on the west side of the map. Source: 臺灣國定古蹟編纂研究小組（National Historic Monuments of Taiwan）
The brick walls were eventually erected and replaced the bamboos predecessors around 1827 as it was proposed by the Cheng Yon-Shi (鄭用錫) in 1827 during the state visit of Governing Secretary of MinJe Provinces (閩浙總督), the head of the council for both Hohkien and Jejiang Province, to Taiwan. Gradually the whole round shape of brick walled Hsinchu started to take shape. The reason why Cheng Yon-Shi can escalate at this high level rank of officials of Manchu Chin was he had earned a Imperial Scholar (進士) during the national exam held in Forbidden City of Pekin earlier in 1823.
Cheng's historic household and estate at Beimen Street, The Street of North City Gate
Cheng's ancestors from Quemoy (金門) arrived Horlong village(苗栗後龍) of northern Taiwan in 1775 where Cheng Yon-Shi was born. In 1806, the family moved to Hsinchu. He started his local fame as being excellent in literal arts and well commanding in history, Confucius Philosophy, and Yi Jing(易經), the Books of Changes. He successfully passed exams held locally and at Chin's Royal Court. His awarded Imperial Scholar(進士) title in 1823 is the very first Taiwanese born scholar gaining this royal academic award after west half of Taiwan was under Manchu Chin Empire since 1684. His academic reputation in literacy in Chinese has entitled him as the "First Chin Imperial Scholar of Taiwan"(開台進士, 開台黃甲).
In 1827, Cheng Yon-Shi had a push to rebuild Hsinchu fort city as stone and brick walls from former decaying adobes and bamboos. He came to Pekin (Beijing) in 1834 and accepted a role in the imperial court administrating internal and etiquette affairs as 春宮 (Chun-Gong). He returned to Taiwan three years later to look after his mother and started to build his own court house residence which was later called Jinshidi, the Imperial Scholar Court (進士第), at neighborhood out of the north gate of the city wall. As his ancestry traced back to Quemoy(金門) of Chuangzhou (泉州), he has influenced the house building styles based upon Quemoy stately homes.
In 1851, Cheng also built another sizable garden estate nearby, right out of the North City Gate and gave it a name called Northern Garden Estate (北郭園 ) for his own leisure and past time in his home town. In 1853, he built Cheng's Ancestral Shrine (鄭氏家廟) to honour ancestry and their endeavor coming to settle in this new territory in Taiwan.
The building of Cheng's Ancestral Shrine, due to the uniqueness of how it associated the early Han Chinese settlers to the northern Taiwan, the square layout and artistic craftsmanship from Quemoy and the importance of the first Taiwan born Imperial Scholar during Chin Empire, the temple hall itself was inscribed as the Listed Heritage of the Hsinchu City (新竹市定古蹟) by the Hsinchu cultural authority in 1985.
Historic Routes at Beimen street
Cheng Family settlement at Hsinchu old walled city can be seen from their Ancestral Hall and the fine Mansions around the former quarter at North City Gate. There is another property being managed by the Cheng's at the very heart of the old walled city, the City God Temple. The street that links the the former north city gate and the City God Temple is called the Beimen Street(北門街), aka North City Gate Street, which can be seen in 1829 map. This street is one of the oldest surviving High street of the city.
The street starts from the Cheng's old neighborhood, the disappeared Cheng's Northern Garden(北郭園), the Outer Matsu Temple(外媽祖廟-長和宮), and row of historic reb brick shophouses re-constructed in early 1900s, and passed through the former city gate which was taken down between 1910s-1920s. The street continued toward inner core of the walled city and meets the City God Temple.
The entire Beimen street is still an important area to explore the past glory of the city as it is home to many wealthy tycoons since 19th century. Some of them redeveloped into high rises but many still retained a period character before 1940s like red brick shop houses and ornate facades of historic styles. A recent listed historic shop house in early 2000s is Chou Yi Ji(周益記) shophouse, a five division wide shophouse with front arcades reminds the bustling of the business ever took place since late 19th century.
Figure: The temple of Outer Matsu of Hsinchu, right face the Beimen Street going into the heart of the city center. There are two Matsu temple around Beimen street the one inside former city wall is called Inner Mastu Temple. This one right next to Cheng Family Ancestral Hall was first laid outside the city wall and hereafter it got the name as being Outer Mastu Temple.
From the Matsu Temple square front seeing toward the Beimen Street. The city center end of the Beimen streeet had been redeveloped for high rising condos, the original household residence of Taiwan Shinkong Financial Holding.
Photo: The engraving of the former old north city gate at the current cross road of Biemen Street and Beida Street tells the past of the street, city gate as well as the local history.
Photo: The very end oaf Beimen street lies the heart of the old former old city, the Temple of Hsinchu City God(新竹城隍廟) which is also part of the Cheng family's historic property. The food stalls surrounding the temple is a key feature of the temple attractions as it was rented to stall vendors all way back to early 1895 to disguise itself from being a non-Buddhist temple which was considered to be not welcome by the new Japanese administration which favored Buddhism.
Photo: The magnificent arcade facade of Chou Yi Ji shophouse (周益記) in the middle section of Beimen street. The historic building can be traced back to 19th century with many Chin period (pre-1895) brick structures at the other end. The Baroque like facade with glazed tiles was a 1926's work of piece while rest of the old shop houses on the same street remain pure red brick based on 1905 street improvement layout for city planning. This five arcades shop house is a key testimony to the Beimen street's transformation for heritage conservation and revitalization in recent years and the descendant of the owner decided not to demolish it but keep it for city's outstanding historic attraction and a hub for enlightened local people story. The current owner Chou is now also a key member of Taiwan Old Clans society.
The architecture of Cheng's Ancestral Shrine
Before Cheng Yon-Shi built the Ancestral Hall in Hsinchu during 1853, another ancestral hall was also laid in Quemoy (Kinmen, offshore islands of Hohkien) in 1830. He brought the craftsmanship primarily from Quemoy house masters and the entire layout and partition enjoys a style that is also commonly seen in Quemoy historic houses. The layout of the Ancestral Hall is purely square with courtyard laid in the center. The front court house(山門) has a three-division facade (三開間) with the central portal only admits access of Gods and ancestral figures and mostly closed unless in the occasion for Ancestral Offering. Entrance at the left hand side and Way Out to the right hand side following the Han Chinese temple of order.
As the temple to honour the academic achievement of the household member who had obtained Imperial Scholar award and also First Degree Scholars throughout the century, there are stone tablets holding flag of such rewards at the either sides of the front court yard. The holder stones were originally located at the front of the Jin-shi-di, the Imperial Scholar Residence, before widening of the front street. The flags are no longer seen now but the nicely carved old stone tablets can still be seen as pieces of more than 150 years old.
The Ancestral Shrine underwent two refurbishment restorations, one in 1938 during Japanese Administration and another took place in 1995. Two restoration did not alter the original styles from Chinese court residential temple from Quemoy, including the wooden carvings and red brick works through out the entire building, and remain faithful to its first built status in mid 19th century.
Photo: The three-partition facade (三開間) entrance with only the left hand side door of the central court house admits for regular access. The center portal only opens at special occasions of a year. The entire architecture remains the design way back to 19th century without too much alternations during Japanese administration (1895-1945).
Photo: The stone pillar at the front court house are marked with Han Chinese calligraphy instead of dragon motif which is seen in most religious temples in Taiwan. Dragon motif in pillars are a symbol of ancient Chinese who believed they are descendants of dragon beasts. As these shrine house is built to honor the ancestral traces with significant contribution in academic discipline, Chinese calligraphy is seen through out the pillars and walls.
Photo: The Hexagons brick pavement at floor symbolizes the longevity in Chinese culture due to the resemblance of turtle's back.
Photo: The central courtyard is the center of the three by three box layout which is typically seen in Quemoy historical residences. The stone pavement with ditches that are for the water coming down as rainfall from the roof top with various height, forming a symphony of the rainfall.
Photo: "開台黃甲" banner to tell the first Han-Chinese Imperial Scholar of Formosa.
Photo: The phrase of "春官大夫"(Chun-Gong-Dai-Fu), the officer's title of the Cheng's role in Royal Court in Beijing during 1830s, hung above the alter of the main court was written by Cheng Yon-Shi (鄭用錫) himself. There are two mansions next to Ancestral Hall, one for Jin-Shi-Di(進士第) and another for Chun-Gong-Di(春宮第) whose name was created for the officer role he took at these time. Two mansions are now all under restoration. Inside the main court hung with many treasures boards from anyone who acquired an academic award through generations.
The Grand Ancestral Offering Ceremony
The Ancestral offering ritual event took place on 10:00AM-11:30AM of 8th Feb 2020, the first Full Moon of the Lunar New Year. People of the family and informed guests and nearby households were admitted through the side door at the front. During this ritual, a first half routine rehearsal took about 20 mins while the eventual praying last for half an hour ending with the medium paper burnt to the ancestry.
Before Cheng Yon-Shi built the Ancestral Hall in Hsinchu during 1853, another ancestral hall was also laid in Quemoy (Kinmen, offshore islands of Hohkien) in 1830. He brought the craftsmanship primarily from Quemoy house masters and the entire layout and partition enjoys a style that is also commonly seen in Quemoy historic houses. The layout of the Ancestral Hall is purely square with courtyard laid in the center. The front court house(山門) has a three-division facade (三開間) with the central portal only admits access of Gods and ancestral figures and mostly closed unless in the occasion for Ancestral Offering. Entrance at the left hand side and Way Out to the right hand side following the Han Chinese temple of order.
As the temple to honour the academic achievement of the household member who had obtained Imperial Scholar award and also First Degree Scholars throughout the century, there are stone tablets holding flag of such rewards at the either sides of the front court yard. The holder stones were originally located at the front of the Jin-shi-di, the Imperial Scholar Residence, before widening of the front street. The flags are no longer seen now but the nicely carved old stone tablets can still be seen as pieces of more than 150 years old.
The Ancestral Shrine underwent two refurbishment restorations, one in 1938 during Japanese Administration and another took place in 1995. Two restoration did not alter the original styles from Chinese court residential temple from Quemoy, including the wooden carvings and red brick works through out the entire building, and remain faithful to its first built status in mid 19th century.
Photo: The flags holder stone tablets at the Way-Out end of the Ancestral Shrine building
Photo: A closer look to the entrance side of the Flag-Holder stone tablets with intriguing motif of animals
Photo: The end of the house roof ridge embodies the form of the tail of a bird (燕尾), a similar form of tuxedo dress, a common feature in Quemoy (Kinmen) with households who enjoy a status of gaining officials in local or national administration.
Photo: The front courtyard of the Ancestral Shrine had been reduced in depth since early 1900s.
Photo: The top of right inside the entrance of right hand door is hung with a tablet for one of the academic award of the Cheng's family. "明經" stands for the entry class of the imperial exam that can go back to Tang Dynasty.
Photo: Inside the central chamber of the entrance hall, the board hang up at the top is called "學界山斗" which literally meant the top of the academic field. The main door does not open for access only at the events of ancestral offering ritual a well as big family occasions and city wide visits of the Hsinchu City God.
Photo: The height of the entrance hall is above the flanking chamber. The timber corbel box are deployed to raise the height of the roof.
Photo: The Banner tells the sibling and uncles and neighbors all under the Cheng's surname coming to offer the ancestral event.
Photo: The few furniture scene in the Ancestral Shrine that bears with western style sine Japanese Administration period. It might be a dressing table of early 1920s with the top is the visibly European Baroque. This dressing table is for the special events during ancestral offering.
Photo: The layer upon layer of well decorative roofs
Photo: The details of the shingles and brick walls at the roof top
Photo: The far end of the roof ridge resembles the tail of swallow and also the British dress code of tuxedo. This roof ridge deco can only be seen in southern Hohkien residential design particularly from Quemoy where the households were given a great social status locally or nationally.
Photo: The carved stone base of the pillar in the shape of lotus.
Photo: The flamboyant curtain of the altar table for the ceremony. Altar table (供桌) is movable piece and only being moved to places with offering during important dates of the year.
Photo: The flanking chamber of the Cheng's Ancestral Shrine with arch door accessing to the side courtyard.
Photo: The side of the hall wall to the main court house.
Photo: The walls of the entrance hall and flanking wall seen through the flanking courtyard. The octagonal door is a typical design in 18-19th century.
The Grand Ancestral Offering Ceremony
The Ancestral offering ritual event took place on 10:00AM-11:30AM of 8th Feb 2020, the first Full Moon of the Lunar New Year. People of the family and informed guests and nearby households were admitted through the side door at the front. During this ritual, a first half routine rehearsal took about 20 mins while the eventual praying last for half an hour ending with the medium paper burnt to the ancestry.
Starts from 10:00 that the ritual admits the family alike guests to the ceremony
The Lanterns marked with surname of Cheng were hung up to mark the important occasion that the hall will be open
Family members dressing up for early 1900 traditional clothing style and work on the lifting of the two lanterns of Cheng
Family members of the event duty ready for rehearsal
Ritual duty plays on ticking the metal instrument to mark the beginning of the event
While the other side of the altar had another ritual duty hitting the drum to make the event loudly known to participants to get ready
The ritual duties all dress up in a traditional outfit and read out sequences of the ceremony
People gathered out of the central courtyard to provide central space for the offering event
The rest of the doors were gradually opened
The central door is finally opened
Now the wooden door is open by taking piece away from the lower door
The central Altar Table filled with blessing medium papers and feasts for ancestral offering
The side door is hosted a traditional Chinese banner umbrella that will be the main object to walk with the spirit to the main portal of the hall
More hitting of the drum
A lot of people gather at the side hallway to watch the ritual to be taking place only twice an year
The main moderating ritual duties stand by the altar table
Clan representatives lined up at the central courtyard to wait for the most senior to conduct an offering to the Cheng's ancestors
Cheng's ceremonial representatives(禮生) all kneel down for the most senior came to pray
Time to kneel down and bow to the ancestors in altar
Time for the most senior to stand up
Preparing the incinerator stone to burn the medium paper to the ancestors
Burning the medium in the historical stone incinerator
Non representatives came up front to the main court where the ancestor altar is hosted for individual blessing.
After the incinerator done its job
Sending the God through the main doorway and close up of the hall is about to take place.
References:
1. 冬至祭祖 新竹 鄭氏家廟, https://blog.xuite.net/apex.cheng/wretch/117810717-%E5%86%AC%E8%87%B3%E7%A5%AD%E7%A5%96++++%E6%96%B0%E7%AB%B9++%E9%84%AD%E6%B0%8F%E5%AE%B6%E5%BB%9F , Accessed in 2020-02
2. 手巾寮周益記 列竹市古蹟, https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20130917000568-260107?chdtv, accessed in 2020-02
3. 新竹 北門 鄭氏古厝群, https://blog.xuite.net/hsu042/twblog1/122927913, accessed in 2020-02