Hengwangfu Stone Archway

Hengwangfu Stone Archway

The Hengwangfu Stone Archway is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Hengwangfu Stone Archway

The Prince of Heng, named Youhui, was the seventh son of Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty (Zhu Jianshen). His mother was the virtuous and dignified Imperial Concubine Zhang. In the 23rd year of the Chenghua era (1487 AD), he was granted the title of Prince of Heng. In the 12th year of the Hongzhi era (1499 AD), the Prince of Heng was enfeoffed in Qingzhou, where he undertook extensive construction projects and built the Hengwang Mansion. The princedom passed through six generations and seven princes. The mansion underwent continuous repairs and expansions over the dynasties, growing increasingly grand in scale. The surviving Hengwangfu Stone Archway, commonly known as the "Noon Palace Gate," was the main entrance through which civil and military officials would enter to pay homage to the Prince of Heng. The stone archway faces south and is situated to the north. The two archways, north and south, are 43.5 meters apart. They share the same architectural style and dimensions. The archways are made of limestone, featuring four pillars and three gates in a traditional memorial archway structure. Each archway is carved from 28 massive stone blocks. It is 11.5 meters wide from east to west, 2.78 meters deep from north to south, 7.25 meters high at the center, and 5.15 meters high on the sides. The base is shaped like a Sumeru pedestal, standing 1.2 meters high and 1 meter wide, divided into three tiers: the bottom tier is 25 centimeters tall, featuring carvings of beast-foot table patterns and upward-facing lotus motifs; the middle tier recedes inward by 10 centimeters, stands 40 centimeters tall, and is carved with peony and lotus designs; the top tier shares the same shape as the bottom tier and is carved with lions, qilins, intertwined peony patterns, and inverted lotus motifs, including 12 lions, 2 qilins, and 4 uniquely shaped corner lions. Above the base are square stone pillars, positioned in the middle of the Sumeru pedestal. The two central pillars are 6.02 meters tall, while the two side pillars are 3.95 meters tall. Each pillar has one vertically carved dragon on the north and south sides, each 2.12 meters tall. Above the four pillars are embedded horizontal plaques, decorated with bas-relief carvings of dragons playing with a pearl and bracket arm motifs. The central gate features two plaques: the upper plaque bears large characters. The south archway reads: “Virtuous Generosity, Enduring Reputation”; the north archway reads: “Filial Piety, Friendship, Kindness, and Noble Refinement.” Both are in raised relief. “Virtuous Generosity” refers to the title of Zhu Youhui. “Enduring Reputation” is a phrase used after his passing. Therefore, the stone archway was likely constructed during the reign of the second prince, Zhu Houjiao, in the Jiajing era.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units