Important family history buildingsBái (白) clan ancestral halls

In traditional Chinese culture, ancestral halls are sacred spaces — sometimes just a room, sometimes a whole building — where families honor ancestors and keep records like genealogies.

Each ancestral hall typically represents a branch of a larger clan and is identified by a hall name, known as "Tanghao" (堂號). A hall name serves as a distinguishing title for that branch and often reflects the branch’s place of origin (e.g., Longxi Hall 隴西堂, Xi River Hall 西河堂), core values (e.g., Loyalty and Filial Piety Hall 忠孝堂), or a notable ancestor (e.g., Li Zhao Hall 藜照堂).

The hall is the physical space; the hall name is the symbolic name and identity of the lineage.