Zhangzhou Stone Memorial Arches

Zhangzhou Stone Memorial Arches

The Zhangzhou Stone Memorial Arches are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Memorial arches, also known as stone arches or paifangs, are referred to in the Zhangzhou dialect as "hebiao," meaning commemorative structures honoring individuals who have received imperial recognition and praise. Zhangzhou is renowned for its numerous and diverse memorial arches. During the Qing Dynasty, records indicated there were over 400 arches with documented locations and names. Despite historical changes, nearly 50 remain, distributed across various districts and counties in Zhangzhou. Among the most representative are the two Ming Dynasty arches located at Shuangmen Top on Hong Kong Road in the northern end of Xiangcheng District: "Shangshu Tanhua" (Chancellor and Imperial Examination Top Scorer) and "Liangjing Yangli Fang" (Three Generations of High Officials); and the two Qing Dynasty arches at Yuekou in the eastern end of Xinhua East Road: "Minyue Xiongsheng" (Mighty Voice of Minyue) and "Yongzhuang Jiyan" (Brave and Simple).

A total of four stone memorial arches have been designated as national cultural relics. They are located in the northern section of Hong Kong Road in the urban area: the Ming Dynasty Shuangmen Top arches, namely the "Shangshu Tanhua" Arch and the "Sanjin Zai’er" Arch, and the Qing Dynasty arches on Yuekou Street of Xinhua East Road, namely the "Yongshi Jiyan" Arch and the "Minyue Xiongsheng" Arch. All four are stone structures with wooden features, featuring three bays, five stories, and twelve pillars. The Ming Dynasty arches at Shuangmen Top stand facing each other across the street and, together with the old southern city gate and old street nearby, form a uniquely charming ancient streetscape. The Qing Dynasty arches on Yuekou Street were erected by decree of Emperor Shengzu of the Qing Dynasty to honor the distinguished military generals Lan Li and Xu Feng. Majestic in appearance, the arches feature carvings of five Western figures, reflecting the friendly exchanges between Zhangzhou and foreign countries during the Ming and Qing periods. The stone carvings on the Ming and Qing arches in Zhangzhou are rustic yet refined, with flowers, birds, humans, and beasts all rendered vividly and full of character, typifying the distinctive local tradition of stone carving art that is both delicate and elegant, yet bold and free-flowing.

These four arches share similar architectural features: all are built in a stone-imitating-wood style, using a combination of bluestone and white stone with striking color contrasts that create a harmonious and natural overall effect. Each has three bays, five stories, and twelve pillars. The roofs of each story are adorned with fish-shaped ridge ornaments, and the eaves are elegantly upturned. Below the main inscribed plaques, beams and brackets are used to separate the levels. The large beams, brackets, and pillars, along with exquisitely carved bracket arms, spandrels, decorative panels, and hanging pillars, are all ingeniously arranged and closely integrated. The arches are richly decorated with carvings using various techniques such as incised carving, line engraving, relief carving, openwork carving, and double-sided carving, depicting dragons, phoenixes, flowers, birds, mythical beasts, and human figures, all vividly portrayed. These works not only exhibit the delicate and intricate style of southern art but also incorporate the bold and vigorous character of northern artistry, reflecting the profound influence of Central Plains culture preserved in Zhangzhou’s traditional art as well as its bold assimilation of foreign cultural elements. They represent a precious cultural legacy left by the people of ancient Zhangzhou. In November 1996, the State Council designated these four arches in Zhangzhou as part of the fourth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. The site is located in Xiangcheng District and can be reached by taking bus routes 1 or 9 in the urban area and getting off at Jiulong Park Station.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units