Gate Tower of the Temple to King Dong’ou

Gate Tower of the Temple to King Dong’ou

The Gate Tower of the Temple to King Dong’ou is a cultural relic protection unit of Wenzhou City.

The Gate Tower of the Temple to King Dong’ou is located in Huagaili, Lucheng District. Inside the temple is a couplet written by Yu Chaojin, a Hanlin academician from the late Qing Dynasty. The structure is made of brick and stone, with an overall fan-shaped plan, spanning a total width of 9.8 meters. The bluestone base is 0.4 meters high, with a central ramp-style staircase. The central bay’s lintel features a rectangular blue stone plaque inscribed with the characters “Temple to King Dong’ou” in regular script. The side bays are designed like screen walls, topped with a gable-and-hip roof.

The Gate Tower of the Temple to King Dong’ou was built in the 13th year of the Chenghua reign during the Ming Dynasty to commemorate King Dong’ou, Zou Yao. The existing gate tower was reconstructed during the Qing Dynasty. It was designated as one of the first batch of cultural relic protection units of Wenzhou City in 1981.

Period: Qing Dynasty

Designation Date: June 11, 1981

Category: Ancient Architecture

Protective Boundary: One meter extending forward and backward from the gate tower.

Building Control Zone: Class I: East side extends 8.5 meters outward from the gate tower; west side extends 0–5 meters outward to the edge of Huagaili Road; south and north sides extend to the original perimeter wall. Class III: South and north sides extend 6 meters beyond the original wall, east and west sides extend 10 meters, with building height limited to under 10 meters.