Stone Carving of the Chastity Archway at Shuanggang Bridge

Stone Carving of the Chastity Archway at Shuanggang Bridge

The Stone Carving of the Chastity Archway at Shuanggang Bridge is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Stone Carving of the Chastity Archway at Shuanggang Bridge (Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit)

Era: Qing Dynasty

Announcement Date: August 29, 1997

Located 50 meters west of Shuanggangqiao Village, Xinjian Town. The carving is on the rocky spur at the western foothills behind Qixing Palace, in the form of a four-pillared, three-bay, five-story double-eaved archway. It is executed in bas-relief. The carving is 3.70 meters wide and 4 meters high. The central bay features the characters “Imperial Edict,” while the lintel bears the word “Chastity,” below which is inscribed “Archway Honoring Ma, Wife of Tao Er’tai.” The pillars are inscribed with “Tang Chenglie, Magistrate of Jinyun County, and Tian Xiyi, Confucian Scholar” and “Erected in the third month of the first autumn of the 11th year of the Xianfeng reign (1861).” Carved during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that descendants were unable to build a physical archway, hence the stone carving was used instead.

Source: Zhejiang Cultural Relics Website

Xinjian Town: Located in the western part of Jinyun County, 15 kilometers from the county seat, commonly referred to as the “Western Township” of Jinyun, Xinjian Town is one of the sources of the Wu River, a tributary of the Qiantang River system. To the east, it borders Xinbi Township along National Highway 330; to the south, it connects with Shuangxi Town in Liandu District and Qili Township in the same county; to the west, it adjoins Wuyi County; and to the north, it neighbors Xicheng Subdistrict Office of Yongkang City. Following the administrative division adjustment in March 2008, the former Xinchuan Township and Shuangchuan Township were merged into Xinjian Town. The town now covers a total area of 216 square kilometers, with its government seat in Xinjian Village, which is divided into six villages: Xin Yi, Xin Er, Xin San, Xin Si, Xin Wu, and Xin Liu. …… More details about Xinjian Town++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units