Today, it houses the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum, with an extensive collection of Lingnan craft masterpieces, and remains a vital lens through which local culture can be understood.

Its three-axis, three-courtyard layout reflects both clan order and openness. What captivates visitors most are the decorations: wood carvings, brick carvings and gray sculptures fill nearly every surface.

Wood carving forms the decorative core, featuring relief and openwork scenes drawn from history, flora and folklore. In the rear hall, 11 wooden shrine canopies — each around 8 meters tall — are carved in layered detail with dragons, phoenixes and narrative scenes. They are considered some of the largest surviving Qing Dynasty wooden carvings in Guangdong.

"These exquisite works embody the spirit of craftsmanship inherent in Lingnan architecture, and this ancestral hall crystallizes a deep sense of belonging among clan members," says Zhang Zikun, a guide at the site.

Zhang points out an unexpected detail: a pair of Western-style cherubs. Unlike their familiar forms, these angels wear topknots and traditional Chinese dudou vests, resembling playful local children.

"They reflect how folk artisans of the time were influenced by the blending of Eastern and Western cultures," Zhang explains.

"They are vivid witnesses to cultural exchange."