Tengzhou Iron Memorial Archway

Tengzhou Iron Memorial Archway

The Tengzhou Iron Memorial Archway was first cast in the Renxu year (1742) of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty and completed in the Dingmao year (1747) of Qianlong. In 1966, due to the “Campaign to Destroy the Four Olds,” this iron archway, which had stood for over 220 years, vanished into the annals of history.

On March 29, the reporter visited the home of the elderly Mr. Liu Kangshi, who resides in the Longquan Garden residential community, to learn about the stories related to the iron archway. Mr. Liu took out a long-preserved photo of the “Tengzhou Iron Memorial Archway” and shared his memories of it.

The original site of the Tengzhou Iron Memorial Archway was located on the east side of Beimenli Street, which has now been replaced by the Sifangcheng residential community. The iron archway was built in the style of a palace pavilion, standing 13 meters tall, higher in the middle and lower on the sides, with its top supported by eight iron pillars and the lower part upheld by eight colored polished stone pillars. Each upper iron pillar connected to extending stone pillars, featuring flying eaves and bracket sets. On both sides of the front of the iron archway were approximately one-cubic-meter iron “I-beam” shaped pedestal stones, each supporting an iron lion about two meters tall. The bracket sets of the iron archway were inscribed with eight regular script characters: “Moonlight on Flying Eaves, Birds Returning to Bracket Sets.” The front center featured three plaques. The topmost plaque was inscribed in small seal script with the characters “Imperial Edict.” The middle plaque bore a regular script inscription reading: “The wife of Huang Yuliang, grandson of Huang Jiarui—Huang Yuliang being the Right Censorate Investigating Censor and Supervisor of Military Provisions for the Former Ming Huaiyang Provincial Governor—who was a model of filial piety, Li Shi.” The bottom plaque was inscribed with “Imperially Honored Chastity and Filial Piety.”

The Tengzhou Iron Memorial Archway is also known as the Chastity and Filial Piety Archway. Mr. Liu explained that the person who commissioned the construction of the iron archway was named Huang Zhong. Huang Zhong’s father, Huang Yuliang, passed away early, and his mother remained steadfastly devoted, observing chastity and never remarrying until her death. To honor his mother, Huang Zhong built the iron archway. This structure also reflects the feudal ethical code of women’s lifelong fidelity in ancient China.

According to Liu Kangshi, the photo of the Tengzhou Iron Memorial Archway he possesses was taken by a friend in 1966 during the “Campaign to Destroy the Four Olds.” Later, his friend developed the photo and gave him a copy. However, as time passed, both the photo and the negatives held by his friend have long been lost, leaving only the one copy in his possession. Although the iron archway was destroyed, the survival of the photo is fortunate. The iron archway model now housed in the Luban Memorial Hall was modeled based on this precious photo. Mr. Liu treats the photo as a treasure, and many visitors who have asked for copies have been turned down. This photo is truly one of a kind in Tengzhou.

Though the iron archway has been destroyed, its cultural value remains immeasurable. In feudal times, memorial archways made of stone or wood could be found all over the country, but those made of iron are as rare as stars in the daytime sky.