Most ancestral halls in the Lingnan region announce themselves with sweeping ceramic roof ridges and intricate wood carvings of mythical beasts. Qing'e Hall presents a strikingly different face to Xinzhou North Road. Built between 1883 and 1885 by the Chen clan, this structure captures a specific moment of transition in late Qing society. The family bypassed the traditional temple aesthetic in favor of a Western-style arcade—a two-story brick building defined by rhythmic arches and shaded verandas that would not look out of place in a colonial trading port. Yet, the building’s name, drawn from the ancient "Classic of Poetry" (“Jing Jing Zhe E”), refers to the luxuriant growth of artemisia plants, a classical metaphor for the cultivation of talented youth.

This architectural tension—a Victorian-influenced shell housing a Confucian purpose—defines the visitor experience. While the exterior mimics foreign trends of the 19th century, the interior spatial logic remains resolutely Chinese. The building centers on an open courtyard with a rockery and fish pond, essential for light, air, and feng shui. A small "sky bridge" on the second floor connects the wings, allowing movement between rooms without descending to the ground, a feature that adds a domestic intimacy to the institutional scale.

originally, the Chen clan intended this space as a hostel for students traveling to the county seat for civil service examinations, effectively acting as an incubator for family status. The building’s function evolved naturally with the times. In 1921, the merchant Tan Jingbo established the "Hongxue Zhai" printing press here, bringing the smell of ink and the clatter of machinery into halls previously reserved for quiet study. It became one of Luchuan’s earliest centers for mass communication. From a scholar’s lodging to a printing house, and later a residence for southbound cadres, Qing'e Hall has persisted as a center of local intellectual and administrative life, proving that the most durable heritage sites are those that adapt while keeping their foundations intact.