Ancient Architectural Complex of Zhengyimen

Ancient Architectural Complex of Zhengyimen

The Ancient Architectural Complex of Zhengyimen is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Zhengzhai was originally called "Cheng'en Li." In the early Northern Song Dynasty, the Zheng family first established their residence here, which was renamed Sandi and Renyi Li during the Southern Song Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was renamed Zhengyimen after being twice honored as a "Filial and Righteous Gate," and in the Ming Dynasty, it was further honored as the "First Family of Jiangnan." The residence centers around the Zheng Clan Ancestral Hall, which faces west and covers an area of 0.5 hectares, with a construction area of 2,463 square meters. Other structures include Ten Bridges and Nine Sluices, the ruins of Dongming Academy, Wenjing (Literary Well), Shengyu Tower (Imperial Edict Tower), Lafo She (Old Buddha Society), Changqi Public Ancestral Hall, the Stele of Nine Generations Living Together, and Xiaogan Spring, along with over fifty Yuan and Ming dynasty historic sites. Within the hall are nine 648-year-old dragon cypresses planted by Song Lian himself.

Zhengyimen is located in the northeast of the Pujiang Basin in Zhejiang Province, 14 kilometers from the county town. The Filial and Righteous Gate gained fame for generations of the Zheng family living together in filial piety and harmony, with its story recorded in the official histories of the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. The communal living began in the Zhi Dao era of the Southern Song Dynasty and declined in the third year of the Ming Tian Shun era (1459), spanning fifteen generations over 330 years, with a peak population of over 3,000 people living together. After that, the Zheng family continued smaller-scale communal living to pass on their family values into the late Qing Dynasty, spanning more than thirteen generations. The First Family of Jiangnan—Zhengyimen—is a typical example integrating ancient architecture, Confucian thought, and traditional folk culture, holding significant value in history, culture, art, ethics, education, and folklore studies.

Source: Jinhua Government Website

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units