Tangyue Village

Tangyue Village

Tangyue Village, located in She County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, is famous for its Memorial Archway Group. The group comprises seven archways, aligned to represent the virtues of Loyalty, Filial Piety, Chastity, and Righteousness in sequence. Built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, they were all constructed to commend the "loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and righteousness" of the people of Tangyue. Nearby are two large ancestral halls—one for men and one for women—with particularly refined brick, wood, and stone carvings that have been recently restored to their original state. A Chinese Memorial Archway Museum is also being planned here. Tangyue Village is a settlement of the Bao family, who have traditionally made a living through commerce.

Main Structures:

Bao Can’s Filial Piety Archway

Built in the early years of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty. The archway is inscribed with “Commemorating Bao Can’s Filial Acts – Posthumously Awarded Title of Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.” According to the She County Annals, Bao Can was well-read and did not seek officialdom. His mother suffered from a severe foot ulcer that remained untreated for years despite medical care. Bao Can personally sucked the pus and blood from her wounds until she recovered. His act of filial devotion moved the local community, prompting an imperial decree to build this archway. Since Bao Can’s great-grandson, Bao Xiangxian, became Minister of Works, Bao Can was posthumously granted the title of Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

The Archway of Filial Piety and Compassion

Erected to honor Bao Shayan and Bao Shousun, father and son, both scholars of the late Song Dynasty. Historical records indicate that during the Yuan Dynasty, Li Da, the military commander of She County, led a rebellion involving arson, killing, and looting. The Bao father and son from Tangyue were captured by the rebel forces, who gave them a cruel choice: one must die so the other could live. Unexpectedly, the father and son argued over who should die to save the other, a selfless act so moving that even the rebels couldn’t bring themselves to carry out the execution. Later, the imperial court honored them by constructing this archway. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty also composed a couplet for the Bao Family Ancestral Hall, which reads: “Filial Piety and Compassion in a League of Its Own; A Picturesque Landmark in Southern China.” There is also a poem by Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, which says: “The father was bound by robbers in mortal peril; life and death hung in the balance… The Bao parents embodied benevolence and filial piety, leaving behind a name that shines through the ages.”

Wang Shi’s Chastity and Filial Piety Archway (Wife of Bao Wenling)

Constructed in the 49th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, it is inscribed with “Upholding Chastity and Practicing Filial Piety” and “Maintaining Chastity and Raising an Orphan.” According to county records, Wang Shi, a native of Tangyue, became a widow at 25 and passed away at 45, remaining chaste for 20 years.

The Archway of Generosity

Built in the 25th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that the Bao family of Tangyue already had archways representing Loyalty, Filial Piety, and Chastity, but lacked one for Righteousness. When the family reached Bao Shufang, who served as Salt Transport Commissioner of Lianghuai and controlled the salt industry in southern China, he sought imperial approval to construct the “Righteousness” archway to bring honor to his ancestors. To achieve this, he donated 100,000 dan of grain, 30,000 taels of silver, repaired 800 li (approximately 400 km) of river embankments, and provided military salaries for three provinces. These acts earned him imperial approval. Consequently, another “Righteousness” archway—honoring Generosity and Good Deeds—was erected at the entrance of Tangyue Village.