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Academic Journal of Architecture and Geotechnical Engineering, 2025, 7(2); doi: 10.25236/AJAGE.2025.070210.

The Value Recognition of the Xu Family Ancestral Hall in Xishan, Suzhou, from the Perspective of Spatial Heritage

Author(s)

Chen Shuxian

Corresponding Author:
Chen Shuxian
Affiliation(s)

Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

Abstract

Under the guidance of rural revitalisation, the protection of vernacular architecture has begun to focus on both tangible and intangible culture, and in this critical period of rural cultural transformation, the study of the representative ancestral halls will contribute to cultural revitalisation. This paper starts from the perspective of spatial heritage, combining field mapping and historical data to comprehensively analyse the material and intangible elements in the physical, spiritual and social spaces of the Xu Family Ancestral Hall in order to recognize its architectural heritage value. The study finds that the Xu Family Ancestral Hall, as a representative of the traditional skills of the Xiangshan Gang, has a variety of cultural connotations. Through its location, space and detailed carvings, it presents the unique artistic characteristics of the architecture of Xishan, and highlights the ecological wisdom of the traditional construction, which not only bears witness to the development of the Dongting merchant gang and the Xishan village, but also serves as a sacred space for the family to perform rituals, and is also used to maintain the bond between the family's identity and the villagers' emotions.

Keywords

Xu Family Ancestral Hall, Spatial Heritage, Value Recognition, Suzhou

Cite This Paper

Chen Shuxian. The Value Recognition of the Xu Family Ancestral Hall in Xishan, Suzhou, from the Perspective of Spatial Heritage. Academic Journal of Architecture and Geotechnical Engineering (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 2: 72-79. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJAGE.2025.070210.

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