The Gate Tower of Chen Yiqiu’s Former Residence

The Gate Tower of Chen Yiqiu’s Former Residence

The Gate Tower of Chen Yiqiu’s Former Residence is a cultural relic protection unit of Yueqing City.

The gate tower of Chen Yiqiu’s former residence is located in Louxia Village, Shenjiang Town, Yueqing City. The original structures of the old residence have long been destroyed, leaving only the gate tower. It was renovated in 1981. The gate bears a stone plaque inscribed with “Residence of Mr. Chen Feiwo,” which was calligraphed by Yang Wencong.

Source: Wenzhou Museum

Chen Yiqiu (1601–shortly after 1654), courtesy name Feiwo, art name Die’an, was a native of Yueqing (now Louxia Village, Shenjiang Town). He mastered classical texts at the age of nine, entered the county school at 14, and was praised for his erudition by Magistrate He Tingxiang and Educational Commissioner Zhou Yaoguang. In the eighth year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1635), he submitted a petition to Zhao Jiding, the imperial inspector of Zhejiang, detailing twenty pressing issues of the time. After reading it, Zhao hailed him as an “outstanding scholar of Dong’ou,” and relayed the petition to the imperial court, resulting in the dismissal of a number of corrupt officials, which delighted the public. However, those dismissed bore grudges and falsely accused Chen’s work The Compilation of Enlightenment (悟空编) of being heterodox and his Butterfly Dream (蝴蝶梦) of being slanderous. Fabricated charges led to his imprisonment for four years. Ten... More details about Chen Yiqiu ++