Guhai Arch of Philanthropy

Guhai Arch of Philanthropy

The Guhai Arch of Philanthropy is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

The Arch of Philanthropy is located in Guhe Village, Sanxiang Town, Zhongshan City. Built in the eighth year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1882), it features four pillars, three bays, and three stories, constructed from granite with a hip-and-gable roof. Each of the three stories is supported by carved stone brackets, standing about 8 meters tall, with drum-shaped stones set at the base of the pillars. The top lintels on both the front and back sides are inscribed vertically in raised relief with the characters “Imperial Edict” and “Honored by Imperial Grace,” while the main lintels are engraved in raised relief with “Philanthropy and Virtue,” bearing the inscription above: “Arch for Madam Wu, Fifth-Rank Dignitary,” and below: “Constructed on the Auspicious Day of Mid-Winter in the Eighth Year of Guangxu.” The arch is adorned with exquisite carvings of figures and flowers around the plaque. Stone tablets inscribed with a memorial text by Li Hongzhang are mounted on the railings on either side of the arch. The structure remains well-preserved today.

Guhai Village: With a history of nearly 800 years, Guhai Village in Sanxiang Town, Zhongshan City, is a historic and cultural village. Legend has it that in ancient times many birds nested in the forests of Guhai, among which white cranes were the most numerous—hence the name “Guhai,” meaning “Ancient Cranes.”

Today’s Guhai Village is a natural settlement where tradition and modernity coexist. Covering an area of 5.6 square kilometers, the village has a permanent resident population of 1,172, with over 8,000 migrants, and more than 3,000 overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao, making it one of Zhongshan’s hometowns of overseas Chinese. The village exudes an inclusive, harmonious, and enterprising cultural atmosphere.

Historic Guhai… More information about Guhai Village++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units