Pingquan Archway

Pingquan Archway

Pingquan Archway

About 200 meters west of “Pingquan,” the seat of Pingquan County, stands a tall glazed archway — an important cultural landmark of Pingquan. Built in 1995, the Pingquan Archway follows Qing Dynasty architectural styles. This nine-story glazed structure is supported by four tall red pillars and features a bracket arm construction with minimal dougong (bracket sets). On each of its east and west sides are four crouching...

Although the Pingquan Archway was built relatively recently, it has deep historical roots — especially the inscription “Zhan Yun Jiu Ri” (瞻云就日), which carries considerable antiquity. It can be said that the Pingquan Archway originates from the southern gate tower of Pingquan County during the Qing Dynasty — the Ningyuan Gate. This gate tower was located about 100 meters south of today’s mosque and was constructed of brick and wood. The gate bore the regular-script characters “Ningyuan Gate,” and there was also a stone plaque inscribed with the regular-script characters “Zhan Yun Jiu Ri.” Due to traffic obstructions, it was demolished in 1958. The current Pingquan Archway can be regarded as having been relocated from the Ningyuan Gate. Moreover, the phrase “Zhan Yun Jiu Ri” has profound cultural connotations. The term “Jiu Ri” (就日) originates from Sima Qian’s “Records of the Grand Historian · Annals of the Five Emperors”: “Emperor Yao was of great strength and benevolence like heaven, wisdom like the divine. People gathered around him as they would the sun, and looked up to him as they would the clouds.” Over time, people came to use “Zhan Yun Jiu Ri” to describe the respect and loyalty of subjects toward their ruler. Additionally, “Zhan Yun Jiu Ri” also conveys the meaning of taking a far-reaching and visionary perspective.