Free Ferry at Temple Gate

Free Ferry at Temple Gate

The Free Ferry at Temple Gate is a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

The Free Ferry at Temple Gate is located at Temple Gate in Changyuan Group, Tankou Village, Baishi Town. It connects Xiangjiang River’s two banks—Xiangtan County and Hengdong County. With vast river waves and winding stone steps, the ferry site features two well-preserved stone lions on its steps, as well as a 400-year-old ancient locust tree nearby, which has been listed in Xiangtan County’s register of protected ancient and notable trees. According to inscriptions on the Free Ferry at Temple Gate stele: During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, local gentry such as Ma Chaocai established this free ferry and built the Temple Gate wharf. This free ferry benefited travelers, but due to limited resources, there was insufficient funding for boats. In the second year of the Xuantong era (1910), -'s grandfather, Mr. Ma Li’an, initiated a fundraising campaign to restore the ferry and purchased twenty acres of farmland, using the annual rental income to sustain the free ferry operation.

The Free Ferry at Temple Gate has witnessed the rise and fall as well as the resurgence of the Chinese nation, embodied the Chinese people’s fine traditions of charity and goodwill, and fostered the hard work and growth of -’s predecessors. It holds significant importance in promoting acts of kindness, educating future generations, and building a harmonious society. It has been designated as a ninth-batch provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Hunan Province