The difference between ancestral hall and ancestral hall

Ancestral halls and ancestral halls seem to be the same thing, but there are still some differences. Ancestral halls place ancestral tablets for later generations to worship, while ancestral halls not only have the function of ancestral halls, but also can meet ethnic groups and handle wedding and funeral affairs. They are public places for ethnic groups.
I visited a Chen's ancestral hall in Zhengying, Shiping, Yunnan Province. Although it was built less than a hundred years ago (1925), it is a national cultural protection unit. As far as I know, among the Chen's ancestral halls, another one that has entered the national cultural protection unit is the Chen's ancestral hall in Guangzhou, also known as "Chen's ancestral hall", which was built in 1888.
Although the construction time of Chen's ancestral hall in Zhengying is not long, its scale is very large, the construction cost is high, and it is very beautiful. It can be said to be the representative and boutique of the early architecture of the Republic of China.
In fact, what I like most here is its stone carvings, especially the stone lions at the gate. They are astonishingly exquisite. Not only are their shapes beautiful, but also the carving process is absolutely superb. At that time, unlike today's mechanized tools, they were completely knocked out by hand. This craftsmanship is absolutely master level. It is difficult to find a second place.
The lions I value most are the lions in front of the door. The one with two little lions on its back in Figure 3 is also the best of the best. Its uniqueness is not only the two lions on its back, but also the tail of the lion is like a broom. It has meaning and different artistic forms. I am very fascinated by it. I have to take a careful look at it several times.
However, when I first entered here, I thought that some buildings were new. Later, the villagers told me that the ancestral hall was old, but it was renovated (repaired) a few years ago. As a result, it was not only too fresh, but also many details of the building disappeared. It is a pity.
The villagers said that the original building was very beautiful. The carved details on the doors and windows were very good, and they were also pasted with gold foil. During the maintenance, only yellow paint was applied, and nothing could be seen. There was no way to compare with the original building.
Why is the Chen ancestral hall in Zhengying so high in architectural level? It was originally built by Chen heting, who was a scholar in the late Qing Dynasty. After the 1911 Revolution, he assisted Cai E, and later served as the general manager of Gebi railway, founded three railway banks, and presided over the construction of China's first private railway, Gebi Linshi railway. In addition, he also runs schools to promote education and send the children of the village to school. The Chen Clan ancestral hall, which he presided over, has also become a classic of the architecture of the Republic of China and an outstanding one among ancestral halls. It is a pity that it has not been paid attention to for decades, and it was once allowed to be squandered and freely used. Now it has to be protected and repaired, but the effect has been greatly reduced.
In fact, it is not easy to keep it. Please treat it well!
The ancestral hall is located in Zhengying, which is not far from the county seat. There are also beautiful ancestral homes of the Chen family. They are all free to visit and do not need tickets.