祠堂 (cí táng) — ancestral hall (clan temple for ancestor worship and clan gatherings)
Definition
A 祠堂 is a clan-owned ancestral hall: a building where a whole lineage worships shared ancestors and gathers for major events. It is larger and more formal than a private household shrine (e.g. a 牌位 at home).
noun
ancestral hall (clan temple for ancestor worship and clan gatherings)
Measure word · 座
Examples
- ，祠堂。Měi nián qīng míng jié, wǒ men dōu huì qù cí táng jì zǔ.Every Qingming Festival, we go to the ancestral hall to worship our ancestors.
- 祠堂。Zhè ge cí táng yǐ jīng yǒu sān bǎi duō nián de lì shǐ le.This ancestral hall has a history of over three hundred years.
- 祠堂。Cūn lǐ de rén dōu zài cí táng lǐ shāng liang dà shì.The villagers all discuss important matters in the ancestral hall.
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