Ancestral temples in the socio-cultural space of modern China: problems and prospects

Abstract

This article is included in the circle of studies related to the study of Chinese culture, and is devoted to the urgent problem of preserving the material cultural heritage of the Middle Kingdom in the 21st century in the context of the globalization of modern society. Among the architectural and cultural relics that require special attention are ancestral temples, which are an integral part of traditional culture, the central element of the spiritual life of the Chinese for many centuries. The article examines clan temples in Huizhou, reveals the historical and social role and functions of ancestral temples in the religious and philosophical ideas of the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. Based on the study of the socio-cultural situation in Huizhou, the problems of the modern state of objects are indicated, solutions to the preservation of ancestral temples as cultural markers of Chinese civilization are characterized. The conclusions note that in Huizhou, systematic activities have been organized to restore, reconstruct and sociocultural “reassignment” of clan temples. This happens both within the framework of public policy and thanks to the efforts of enthusiastic businessmen who realize the importance of preserving the cultural and historical memory and the national mentality of Chinese society