Pingxi Village Gate

Pingxi Village Gate

The Pingxi Village Gate is a protected cultural heritage site of Hunan Province.

The Pingxi Village Gate was first built in the 40th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1612), making it 397 years old to date. It is the earliest and best-preserved ancient Dong ethnic architectural structure discovered in China so far.

The Pingxi Village Gate is located in Pingxi Village, Jingwuzhou Town, Tongdao Dong Autonomous County. It faces south with its back to the north, with the Jindian River to the west and Fengmu Mountain to the east. It is composed of a front gate, a second gate, and side chambers, covering a total construction area of 125 square meters. The main front gate was first built in the 40th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1612), the second gate in the 4th year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1726), and the side chamber in the 33rd year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1768), as evidenced by inscribed beams. All these structures feature post-and-lintel timber frames and double-sloped roofs covered with small blue tiles.

Associated cultural relics include one scholar’s plaque, one prohibition stele, one “Eternal Through the Ages” stele, one “Immortal Legacy” stele, and one stone house Earth God Temple, all of which hold significant cultural and ethnological historical value. In 2004, the Huaihua Municipal People's Government officially designated it as part of the second batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection units.

The ancient Dong architectural complex is situated in Pingxi Village, Jingwuzhou Town. The village got its name from the flat terrain and a small stream that gently flows northward around the settlement. Pingxi is one of the eight Dong villages of Furongli and boasts a long history with profound Dong ethnic cultural heritage.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Units of Hunan Province