Xingcheng Zushi Stone Archways

Xingcheng Zushi Stone Archways

Two magnificent ancient stone archways stand on Nan Dajie (Yanhui Street) within the ancient city of Xingcheng. The stone carvings on the archways are exquisitely crafted with delicate and lifelike techniques. Despite having endured 360 years of wind and rain erosion, they remain well-preserved. These archways provide valuable physical materials for studying the stone carving art created by the working people since the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as for researching the history of those periods.

One of the two archways is the Zushou Shi Archway, and the other is the Zudale Shi Archway. Both the Zushis were from Xingcheng, with Zushou being the elder cousin of Zudale. The front side of the Zushou Shi Archway bears two horizontal plaques. The upper one reads "Loyalty, Integrity, Courage, and Wisdom"; the lower one reads "Four Generations of Military Commanders, Junior Tutor". On the back is the horizontal inscription: "The Glory of Cleansing". Beneath the highest roof of the central chamber is an upright plaque inscribed with the characters "Wang Yin". The front plaque of the Zudale Shi Archway is titled "Ascended the Platform in Glory". The couplets read: "Praising the nation that relies on its defenders, showered with imperial favor and celebrated on the monument"; while the back plaque is titled "Initial Grant to the Great Meritorious Official", with couplets that say: "Pine... as fresh, celebrating goodness nurtured across the four seas; resplendent and illustrious, eternally renowned for a thousand autumns." All the inscriptions are in relief. The couplets and plaques are mostly laudatory words. But whether viewed from a calligraphic or archaeological perspective, they are of great value.

Both archways are carved from stone and designed in imitation of wooden structures, featuring a four-pillar, three-bay, five-story style with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The pillars are tall and the upper stories are relatively small, giving them an elevated and towering appearance, solemnly standing with majestic momentum. A pair of large and small stone lions sits on both the north and south sides at the base of the central and side pillars. The lions are vividly and realistically crafted, with arched backs and raised heads, seemingly glancing at each other. According to local custom, on the night of the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month), people of all ages flock to gather around the stone lions, hoping that touching a certain part of the lion will cure an ailment in the corresponding part of their own body. It is said that this practice can ward off disaster, dispel evil, and heal illness. People regard these stone lions as symbols of turning misfortune into fortune and transforming danger into safety.