Hejiuling Stone Gate

Hejiuling Stone Gate

Hejiuling Stone Gate is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou.

Hejiuling Stone Gate is located at the valley entrance between Tianchi Mountain and Lushan in Wuzhong District, Suzhou. Hejiuling was an important thoroughfare in ancient times.

In the second year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1437), Pujidao Temple was built on the ridge, housing various halls such as the Jade Emperor Pavilion, Guanyin Hall, Guan Yu Hall, and Xuanwu Hall. During the Longqing era (1567–1572), stone gates were constructed on both the east and west sides of the temple. The eastern stone gate is made of granite, while the western one is made of bluestone. In the Qing Dynasty, a herringbone brick street known as the Imperial Path was laid between the two stone gates of Hejiuling, which remains heavily trafficked by pedestrians to this day. The architectural structure of the stone gates features an arch design, similar to the arched bridges of the Jiangnan region. The sides of the arches are lined with “Vajra Walls,” and long tie stones are installed, with their protruding ends carved into dragon heads.

The original structures atop the stone gates no longer exist. Five barrier stones are placed side by side, with 44 stones in the eastern gate and 48 in the western one. Each barrier stone bears an inscribed merit stele, with the stele top carved into an inverted lotus leaf and the base shaped like a lotus flower. One of the stones is inscribed with the following inscription: “Shen Ru, a devout person from Gaopo King’s Domain, 9th Map, 11th District, Wuxian County, whose mother Lu is 48 years old, donated one barrier stone, praying for longevity and peace. Erected on the Mid-Autumn Festival of the second year of the Longqing era.” This shows that although the stone gates were built by the temple, the funding came from donations by devotees.