Jinzhao Archway and Xiantai Archway

Jinzhao Archway and Xiantai Archway

The Jinzhao Archway and Xiantai Archway are listed as Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

Era: Ming Dynasty

Address: Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province

The Jinzhao Archway is located in Shangcun Village, Yantou Town, Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It was constructed in the 44th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1565) to celebrate Jin Zhao’s achievement in passing the imperial examination. Jin Zhao (1516–1581), styled Maoqing and also known as Xiufeng, passed the imperial examination in the 44th year of the Jiajing reign (1565) and eventually served as Prefect of Ruizhou in Jiangxi. The archway is a wooden structure with six pillars and three stories, rectangular in plan, standing 7.63 meters high, 9.9 meters wide, and 2.35 meters deep. The two central pillars are square stone columns, while the side pillars are wooden. Stone drums are placed in front of and behind the pillar bases, which are of the inverted basin type. Four corner pillars stand on the outer sides of the archway. Both the central and side bays feature beam lintels, auxiliary beams, and tie beams, adorned with bracket sets and bracket arms. The central bay is particularly ornate, featuring intricate carvings. The roof is supported by multiple layers of brackets.

It was listed as a Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Zhejiang Province on December 12, 1989, and included in the seventh batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level in May 2013.

The Xiantai Archway is situated in the center of Huatan Village, Yongjia County, Zhejiang Province. It is a four-pillar, three-story wooden archway built in the 12th month of the Yiyou year (1505) during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was commissioned by Li Duan, Prefect of Wenzhou, and Liu Jing, Magistrate of Yongjia, to commemorate Zhu Liangyi. Zhu Liangyi, styled Shizhi and also known as Jingshi, was a native of Huatan, Yongjia. The central bay of the archway has square stone pillars, while the outer four corner pillars are square wooden ones. The side bays rest on stone platforms. At the intersection of the lintel and pillars in the central bay, there are bracket arms and bracket sets. The central bay features a horizontal beam, while the side bays have stone bases. The upper sections are adorned with decorative carvings and brackets.

It was included in the seventh batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level in May 2013.

Yantou Town: Located in the northern part of Yongjia County and along the middle and upper reaches of the Nanxi River, Yantou Town covers a total area of 56.10 km². It is a semi-mountainous town characterized mainly by mountainous terrain with river valley basins. It also serves as the political, economic, and cultural hub of the northern mountainous region of Yongjia County. The town boasts “four major highlights”: First, it is a populous town, with a total population of 46,000, ranking fourth in the county. Covering an area of 65 km², it administers 36 administrative villages and one neighborhood committee. Second, it is a culturally renowned town, home to 10 ancient villages dating back to the late Tang Dynasty, including Furong Village known for its “Seven Stars and Eight Battlegrounds” layout, Cangpo Village famed for its “Four Treasures of the Study” design, and Jin… [More details about Yantou Town]

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level