Ling Shou Stone Memorial Archway

Ling Shou Stone Memorial Archway

The Ling Shou Stone Memorial Archway is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Located on West Chengguan Street in Ling Shou County. Built in the 14th year of the Chongzhen reign during the Ming Dynasty. The archway faces east-west, stands 12.1 meters tall, and is 8 meters wide. The entire structure is intricately carved from fine bluestone, imitating a wooden architecture with five tiers, four pillars, and triple eaves. The bracket sets are densely arranged, with two on the upper and lower levels, creating a well-balanced layout.

The main bay has six bracket sets, while the secondary bays feature three on the upper level and two on the lower level, all arranged harmoniously. The third layer of architraves features deep-relief carvings of flowing clouds, cranes, dragons, and double phoenixes, all exquisitely crafted and ingeniously designed. The central plaque is inscribed with the characters “Three Generations of Central Pillars” in regular script. On the stone columns flanking each pillar, there are 45 lions of varying sizes, carved in leaping, standing, or sitting poses, all remarkably lifelike. This intricately carved structure is symmetrically laid out, finely detailed, and ingeniously conceived, making it a rare artistic masterpiece.

The San Shi Zhong Shu Fu Family Memorial Archway in North Ling Shou County, also known as the Carved Stone Archway, was built in the 14th year of the Ming Dynasty’s Chongzhen reign (1641 AD). At that time, Fu Yongchun served as the Minister of Personnel. Not only was he dedicated and incorruptible in office, but he also proposed ten important suggestions addressing major issues in the court’s administration, known as the “Ten Proposals on Official Selection.” Emperor Chongzhen not only gladly adopted these proposals but also, in recognition of Fu Yongchun and his father and grandfather’s loyal service to the court, posthumously honored his father, Ding, as Tong Yi Da Fu (Associate Minister), Left Assistant Minister of War, and his grandfather, Chengxun, with the same title. The San Shi Zhong Shu Fu Family Memorial Archway was then commissioned and built in North Ling Shou. In 1954, it was listed as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Hebei Province.

Every part of the stone archway is exquisitely refined. Whether it's the arrangement of the motifs or the masterful carving, they all fully demonstrate the wisdom and exceptional craftsmanship of China’s laboring people in stone sculpture. Folklore says that on windy nights, one can hear the clear sound of the carved beads on the abacus of the archway rattling in the wind—testament to the admiration people hold for the archway’s artistry.

Ling Shou County is located in the central-western part of Hebei Province, bordered by the Taihang Mountains to the west and the vast North China Plain to the east. The county seat is 40 kilometers from the provincial capital, and 20 kilometers from the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, the Beijing-Shenzhen Expressway, and Shijiazhuang Civil Aviation Airport. The Shuohuang Railway crosses through three towns in the county and includes two stations in Fu’an and Beizhai. With convenient transportation, communication, and ample energy supply, the county covers a total area of – square kilometers and administers 6 towns, 9 townships, 279 administrative villages, and 772 natural villages.

The terrain is strip-shaped, approximately 15 kilometers wide from east to west and 130 kilometers long from north to south. The land slopes from northwest to southeast, forming terraced landforms including mountains, hills, plains, and wetlands. Ling Shou was historically known for producing a rare wood called “Ling Shou Mu,” which was hard and ideal for making walking sticks. The imperial court often bestowed such sticks upon ministers and nobles as a mark of honor, and the county was thus named Ling Shou.

In May 2013, the Ling Shou Stone Memorial Archway was announced as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units