Jinshan Filial Piety Archway

Jinshan Filial Piety Archway

The Jinshan Filial Piety Archway is a cultural relic protection unit of Wencheng County.

The Jinshan Filial Piety Archway is located at the foot of Ling, Jinshan Village, Huixi Township, Wencheng County. Constructed from bluestone and intricately carved, it features four pillars and three bays, with a stone lion perched atop each pillar. The central bay stands 6 meters high and is divided into five tiers by stone beams. The top tier holds a plaque inscribed with “By Order of the Great President,” while the first tier is engraved with the text “Erected for Madam Xia, wife of Wu Deyi, a Confucian scholar of the former Qing Dynasty.” The fourth tier bears an inscription by Li Yuanhong reading “Filial Piety Inspires Resoluteness Like Pine and Bamboo.” The side bays each have three tiers featuring carvings such as twin lions playing with a ball, peonies facing the phoenix, waves cradling the moon, and Jiang Ziya fishing. Most of these are relief or openwork carvings, including the fishing rod and line which appear to pierce through the stone, leaving thread-like impressions. The facial expressions of the figures are strikingly lifelike. In front of the archway stands a stone railing adorned with floral patterns, while the other three sides are enclosed by stone walls. At the center of the back wall is an “Honorific Tablet.” The structure covers a total area of 100 square meters.

Source: Wenzhou Museum