Entity
Ruihui Mai Gong Ancestral Hall
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
On Suguo New Street in Huangge Town, the Ruihui Mai Gong Ancestral Hall operates with a dual identity. Constructed in 1867 during the Qing Dynasty, the shrine honors Mai Guangzu, a seventh-generation descendant of the local Mai clan. Known historically as Guangyu Tang, the structure exemplifies classic Lingnan architecture. Its two-advance courtyard layout relies heavily on traditional brick, wood, and stone masonry. Refined wood and brick carvings decorate the interior and exterior, preserving the aesthetic sensibilities of the nineteenth century.
In 2014, the local government initiated a project to convert the heritage site into the Guangzhou Qilin Culture Exhibition Hall. The restoration maintained the original layout and structural features, integrating modern exhibition elements directly into the traditional red wood and stone framework. Today, it stands as the city’s sole museum dedicated entirely to the history and evolution of Qilin culture, serving as the core preservation center for the Huangge Qilin Dance, a provincial intangible cultural heritage. The museum interior immerses visitors in this centuries-old local tradition. A central bronze Qilin statue anchors the courtyard. Inside the main hall, colorful paper-crafted Qilin heads hang suspended from the wooden beams. These figures, representing the four ancient villages of Huangge, feature the traditional chimera design: a dragon's head, lion's body, deer's horns, sheep's hooves, and an ox's tail. The surrounding exhibition zones display historic dance costumes, traditional musical instruments, and the Eighteen Martial Arts Weapons. The Huangge Qilin Dance requires practitioners to perform martial arts routines while manipulating the heavy costumes. Among the displayed weapons is the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, a heavy polearm used by young local masters in regional competitions.
The couplet framing the front entrance reads, 'The Qilin competes in Hangzhou and wins the brocade; the Phoenix soars in Huangge and brings auspiciousness.' These words capture the deep bond between the town and its mythical beast. By housing this living tradition within a historic clan shrine, the exhibition hall ensures the continued resonance of Huangge’s cultural roots.