Wooden Memorial Archway of the Yaowang Temple in Qinyang

Wooden Memorial Archway of the Yaowang Temple in Qinyang

The wooden memorial archway of the Yaowang Temple in Qinyang is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

The wooden memorial archway of the Yaowang Temple in Qinyang is located within the Yaowang Temple on Hezuo Street in the northeast corner of Qinyang’s old town. According to an inscription: “The temple was first built in the 52nd year of the Qianlong reign (1787) and initially completed in the 13th year of the Jiaqing reign (1808). Later additions included the Hall of the Four Saints, the opposing halls, the Elegant Pavilion, and the Eastern Zen Monastery. After the completion of the Yaowang Temple, it became a center where herbal medicine merchants from various regions came to worship the Medicine God and conduct trade discussions on Huai medicinal herbs. Currently, only the wooden memorial archway and the opposing halls on the east and west sides remain.

The wooden memorial archway of the Yaowang Temple was built in the 6th year of the Jiaqing reign (1801) of the Qing Dynasty. It stands on a platform that is 10.5 meters long and 3.2 meters wide, and is a four-pillar, three-bay memorial archway-style structure. The four pillars are arranged in a straight line, with a matching drum stone in front of and behind each pillar. The horizontal beams and carved panels on both the front and back are intricately openwork wood carvings. The carvings depict themes such as historical figures, elegant birds and flowers, and auspicious dragons and mythical beasts. The main scenes are adorned with gold leaf, giving them a magnificent and luxurious appearance, forming a naturally perfect artistic gallery with high artistic value. On the carved beams, the phoenix is depicted above the dragon on the front, while the dragon is above the phoenix on the back, reflecting certain social meanings. In particular, this archway incorporates the strengths of stone carvings and combines them with traditional architectural roof decorations, drawing on the essence of previous memorial archways to create a completely new style—making it a rare masterpiece of ancient architecture.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Henan Province