Definition
祠堂 is a clan ancestral hall or temple — a physical building where a Chinese family lineage (clan) worships its ancestors, stores ancestral tablets, and holds ceremonies during festivals like Qingming. It's a culturally significant institution in traditional Chinese society, not just a religious site but a social and legal center for the clan. The word is a place word (p.w.), so it can directly follow prepositions like 在 without needing a measure word.
p.w.
ancestral hall (clan temple for ancestor worship and clan gatherings)
Examples
- ,祠堂。Měinián Qīngmíng Jié, wǒmen dōu huì qù cí táng jìzǔ.Every Qingming Festival, we go to the ancestral hall to worship our ancestors.
- 祠堂。Zhège cí táng yǐjīng yǒu sānbǎi duō nián de lìshǐ le.This ancestral hall has a history of over three hundred years.
- 祠堂。Cūn lǐ de rén dōu zài cí táng lǐ shāngliang dàshì.The villagers all discuss important matters in the ancestral hall.
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