Built between 1890 and 1894, the Temple of the Ancestors of the Chen family is a huge complex extending over more than 10,000m² and consisting of 6 inner courtyards, 9 halls, and 19 buildings. It is separated from the outside world by an imposing perimeter wall. The buildings are divided into three according to the Confucian tradition: One to receive, one to meet, and the last to celebrate the ancestors.

It was created not only to pray to the ancestors of the Chen family but also to train and inculcate knowledge in future Chen generations for the imperial examinations. Originally, one of the Chen family members got third place in the imperial examinations giving him access to one of the highest ranks of officials. The Chen family clan built this shrine with funds raised from 72 counties in Guangdong where they had many relatives to serve as a school, place of worship, and meeting place for members.

Built between 1890 and 1894, the Temple of the Ancestors of the Chen family is a huge complex extending over more than 10,000m² and consisting of 6 inner courtyards, 9 halls, and 19 buildings. It is separated from the outside world by an imposing perimeter wall. The buildings are divided into three parts based on the Confucian tradition: One to receive, the second to meet, and the last to celebrate the ancestors.

It was created not only to worship the ancestors of the Chen family but also to nurture the talents of the Chen family for the imperial examinations in the future. Originally, one of the Chen family members got third place in the imperial examinations giving him access to one of the highest ranks of officials. The Chen family clan built this shrine with funds raised from 72 counties in Guangdong, and its main purpose is to provide a place for people of the surname Chen from all over the province to live in Guangzhou to prepare for the imperial examinations, handle lawsuits, pay taxes, etc.

Now it serves as Guangdong Folk Arts Museum to show the most characteristic Guangdong architecture. The most impressive attractions of the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family are various superb carvings extolling nature. They are in the forms of wood, brick, pottery, stone, lime, and things like that, which wood carving especially fully demonstrates the great achievements of the art of carving in Guangdong Province.