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Kinmen Folk Culture Museum

Zhushan's Xue clan settlement bearing witness to the complete form of a Qing dynasty Minnan village
📍 Kinmen · Jinsha Township · Zhushan🎨 Cultural Park🔖 Traditional settlement · Folk exhibits · Ancestral hall architecture

Kinmen Folk Culture Museum is a folk-artifact exhibition hall in Zhushan Village, Kinmen, displaying traditional wedding and funeral customs, farming tools, and folk-religion objects; Zhushan itself is a single-clan settlement founded in 1345 by the Xue family from Tong'an, with a history spanning more than 650 years.

Zhushan Village was founded in 1345 by members of the Xue clan who migrated from Tong'an, making it one of Kinmen's oldest single-clan settlements, with a history of more than 650 years (source: Chinese Wikipedia, "Zhushan Settlement"). According to local historical accounts, the Xue clan's main ancestral hall in the village was built around the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty, though the exact year has not been fully confirmed by official surveys (unconfirmed).

Highlights of Zhushan Village

The Xue clan is the primary family group in Zhushan Village. The settlement's formation can be traced to the Ming dynasty; it reached its peak development in the Qing dynasty and left behind numerous well-preserved Minnan great houses. The ancestral hall is substantial in scale, following a three-bay Minnan plan, with the shrine niches, woodwork carvings, and polychrome paintings in the main hall all well preserved. The ritual space continues to function for clan use today. The village as a whole was planned according to fengshui principles, with a clearly centripetal orientation.

The folk culture museum's collection covers the betrothal objects and dowry forms used in traditional Kinmen wedding customs, the ritual vessels used in funeral ceremonies, and a wide variety of handmade tools from agricultural life — stone mills, waterwheel models, and farming implements. The traditional clothing gallery presents everyday and ceremonial dress from the Qing dynasty through the early Republican period in Kinmen, with object descriptions that balance the Minnan cultural heritage with local Kinmen characteristics.

How to make the most of your visit

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Visit the Xue clan ancestral hallThe ancestral hall is the architectural centerpiece of Zhushan Village. The woodwork carvings and jiannianzhan (cut-and-paste ceramic) roof decorations in the main hall are refined — using the museum's interpretive signs or a guide is recommended to understand the spatial layout of the hall.
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Take your time with the folk artifactsThe farming tools and wedding custom artifacts in the exhibition hall are labeled with detailed descriptions. Reading each label carefully and understanding every object's actual function in traditional life is worthwhile.
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Walk the village lanesThe traditional stone-paved lanes surrounding the ancestral hall are well preserved. Walking through them gives a sense of the spatial logic of a Minnan settlement and the densely packed arrangement of the buildings.
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Photograph the village skylineFrom an elevated point at the edge of the village you can photograph multiple swallowtail ridges lined up along the rooftops — the classic compositional angle for Kinmen traditional village photography.

Practical information

Getting there and timing

  • Zhushan Village is within Jinsha Township, about 10 minutes by car from the Jinsha Township town center. A self-rental vehicle is recommended; scooters can be parked near the village entrance.
  • Opening hours and admission fees for the folk culture museum should be confirmed in advance with the Kinmen County Government or Kinmen National Park Headquarters official websites, as hours may vary on holidays.

Nearby connections

  • Can be combined with Bishan Village — both are traditional settlements in Jinsha Township, each with distinct clan histories and architectural character, forming a comparative traditional-village route through the township.
  • About 15 minutes from the Tianpu sorghum field area by car. During the autumn maturity season the agricultural landscape can be added to the same day for a Jinsha Township half-day rural itinerary.

Sources: Kinmen National Park Headquarters cultural landscape interpretive materials, Kinmen County Cultural Affairs Bureau folk artifacts survey information. Photos to be replaced with Dio's own shots.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Zhushan Village founded?

Zhushan Village was founded in 1345 by the Xue clan, who migrated from Tong'an, giving it a history of more than 650 years.

What is the main family name in Zhushan Village?

Zhushan is a single-clan settlement of the Xue family, whose ancestral hall and old houses are still maintained and used by clan members today.

Sources

  • 珠山聚落 — 維基百科，薛氏遷入年代與聚落沿革
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