Ancestral Worship is a tradition in practice in China since the days of the philosopher Confucius (551 – 479 BC.) The shrine is essentially a component of a Chinese household to house tablets with names and dates of important ancestors. Traditionally it is built like a piece of architecture, and images of household deities are placed inside. (Today it is reduced to a small shelf, or a corner by the wall, but it still holds an important place in the house.) This shrine is elaborately built with a decorative panel hanging from the roof, over a veranda where four intricately carved doors enclose the shrine from the front. The doors are pegged to swivel open. The entire structure stands on a platform with curved legs. The shrine with its beautiful looks and good craftsmanship is a fine example of furniture makers of the Zhejiang, Jiangsu areas. It retains much of its original patina and dates to the second half of 19th century.

The condition is very good with a little wear due to age