The Li Family Chastity Archway

The Li Family Chastity Archway

The Li Family Chastity Archway is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanchang County.

Era: Ming Dynasty

Type: Ancient Architecture

Address: Lijia Natural Village, Banhu Village, Guangfu Town, Nanchang County

Introduction:

The Li Family Chastity Archway is situated in Lijia Natural Village, Banhu Village, Guangfu Town. It is built from red sandstone and marble, with carvings that are predominantly pattern-based and highly detailed. Based on the decorative motifs, it is estimated to have been constructed in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, but as there are no inscriptions, it is unknown for whom the archway was erected as a commendation.

The archway is a two-story pavilion-style structure with symmetrical three-tiered sections on both sides, featuring four pillars and three bays. Additional gate pillars stand between the two central pillars, supported by brackets between the gate posts and the archway frame. The central section features five layers of brick arches projecting outward, while the side sections have four layers of brick arches. The roof ridge is adorned with ceramic ornaments. On the central horizontal beam, the right side bears an inset engraved inscription in regular script reading “Exemplary Chastity” (卓越清贞), though the character “越” (exemplary) has fallen off and is now blurred and illegible.

This archway provides valuable physical material for the study of archway and carving art from the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty.

Banhu Village: Banhu Village…… More details about Banhu Village++