Located in Xiawu Village, Xingshen Hall consists of two mansions on the east and west. Due to the more recent development of tourism, the west mansion has been renamed “Zhegui Hall (折桂堂gathering cassia)”, while the east mansion retains the name of Xingshen Hall. The latter was built ten years earlier than the former. The name “Xingshen” is taken from the Analects of Confucius. Master Zeng said: “I examine myself three times a day. When dealing on behalf of others, have I been trustworthy? In conversation with my friends, have I been faithful? Have I practiced what I was taught?”

According to research undertaken by Wu Xujian, the hall was built by Wu Xiquan (1772-1859, a student in Directorate of Education), the 32nd generation of the Wu family. Wu Xiquan and his three sons abided by Wu family tradition and family discipline, and were loyal, scrupulous, and highly respected. Wu Xiquan once risked his life to defend Miaozi, the governor of Xianju, and was highly admired with a good reputation. People called him “Emperor Xiquan”. He gave the house the name of “Xingshen Hall”. to warn himself and his descendants constantly to reflect on their thoughts and actions and to abide by good moral sentiments.

It is said that Wu Xiquan's family was so wealthy that there was a large storeroom in the house for excess property. Wu Xiquan had three sons, namely Wu Peihong, Wu Peiren and Wu Peizi. He thought initially of building three houses, one for each of them. But after two houses were built, and while he was preparing to build the third, his eldest grandson died, and the next year when he was again preparing to build the third one, another grandson died. Wu Xiquan felt that this was related to the building of the house, so he sold the wood to Wu Lai Xian, a member of the Yunqihui (an organization in Qing Dynasty) in Houhu Village, and did not build the house again.

Xingshen hall has two courtyards, with a foyer, a front courtyard and a back courtyard, resemgling Zhegui Hall on the west side. The two formed a “cross courtyard” pattern. The entrance is on the central axis of the house. The foyer is one storey. The two-storey pricinpal hall and Xiangfang on the left and right are three rooms wide. and the south side of the front courtyard is connected with the firewall. The building area is 1,274.52 square meters.

There was once a plaque quoting lines from “Que Cao Song Lin鹤巢松林(Crane's Nest On Pine Trees)” at the front entrance of the hall, but it has been lost. The phrase “Que Cao Song Lin” is from Wang Wei's poem “Living in the Hills”, which reads: “Alone, at peace, I close the door. Shut out the flame of the evening sky. Cranes settle in the pines. No one comes to try my gate. Bamboo tender with new growth. Red lotus shedding its old sleeves. A light glows down by the ford. Gathering water-chestnuts. They come home. It is said that this plaque was sent to Wu Xiquan by Miao Zi, the then governor of Xianju. [Note: According to “Xianju County Records in the reign of Guangxu”, Miao Zizi, courtesy name Nanqing, born in Liyang, Jiangsu Province, was a Juren (nominees who passed the provincial-level Imperial Examinations) of Jiangsu Province, and served as the governor of Xianju for more than a year at a time that overlapped with the twenty-first year in the reign of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. At some point during his time as governor, Miao Zi went to Qingxiu Temple in Xiahengjie to collect grains, provoking the local people to protest. His sedan chair was attacked and he was beaten. Being in a position to help, Wu Xiquan risked his life to protect the governor, taking him home and looking after him for many days and even obtaining a new sedan chair for him from Linhai, Taizhou Prefecture so that he could return back to his government office. It seems that Miao Zi sent this plaque to Wu Xiquan in gratitude for his kindness and self-sacrifice.]