Pai Fang of the Top Imperial Martial Scholar

Pai Fang of the Top Imperial Martial Scholar

The Pai Fang of the Top Imperial Martial Scholar is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

A cultural relic protection unit of Zhongshan City and one of the tourist attractions in Shaxi. This memorial archway was erected with imperial approval after Liu Qichang achieved the third place (Top Imperial Martial Scholar) in the first class of the martial arts category during the Renxu year (1862) of the Tongzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty.

The builder of the Zhongshan Pai Fang of the Top Imperial Martial Scholar—Liu Qichang, was from Longrui Village in Longdu (now Shaxi Town). He was the 32nd-place martial arts scholar in the 32nd ranking of the Renxu year (1862) of the Tongzhi reign, achieving third place (Top Imperial Martial Scholar) in the palace examination. He served as a second-rank imperial bodyguard, as well as the Judicial Commissioner of Guizhou and Guangxi provinces with concurrent acting governorship, and was later appointed Governor of Yunnan and Guangxi. The memorial archway was then established. Liu Qichang passed away at home in the 28th year of the Guangxu reign (1902).

The archway was built in the first year of the Tongzhi reign. It is a four-pillar, three-bay, three-story structure, carved entirely from granite. The upper stories feature hip-and-gable roofs, supported by stone-carved bracket sets on each level. Both the front and back of the archway are inscribed vertically with the characters “Imperial Selection” on the main tablet. The horizontal plaque above is inscribed with “Top Imperial Martial Scholar,” with the upper inscription reading “Third Place in the First Class of the Martial Category, Renxu Year, Tongzhi Reign” and the lower reading “Erected by Your Servant Liu Qichang.” On the two wing sections, both front and back, there are plaques inscribed with phrases such as “Soaring Gracefully,” “Outstanding Emergence,” “Blazing Sun,” and “Pillar of Heaven.” The central pillar on the front features a couplet that reads: “This archway marks the beginning, setting an architectural example for future expansions; the inaugural top scholar celebrates the renewal of peace and prosperity.” The central pillar on the back reads: “Phoenixes soaring and cranes flying display the glory of this day in the imperial court; dragon and leopard strategies foretell achievements recorded in future military halls.” At the base of the archway are drum-shaped supporting stones, and a pair of stone lions crouches in front.

On November 8, 2008, the General Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province issued the “Notice on the Announcement of the Fifth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units,” listing the Pai Fang of the Top Imperial Martial Scholar as a Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Unit.

Longrui Village: Introduction to Longrui Village

Longrui Village, Shaxi Town, Zhongshan City, is located northeast of Shaxi Town, bordering Xiqu District of downtown Zhongshan. It has a permanent agricultural population of 3,375 and a total of 883 agricultural households. Originally part of Xijiao Township, Longrui Village was established around the end of the Southern Song Dynasty. Liu Ruixian, the second son of Liu Shaouxiong, the prefect of Nanxiong, migrated from Zhujixiang to Tuguiling in Dongzhen, Xiangshan. By the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, his sixth-generation descendants, brothers Liu Zizhong and Liu Ziping, branched off and settled here. Now in their 30th generation, the village was initially named Shengjiao Jiao (Raw Chicken Corner) due to a rock on the coastal edge resembling a rooster. It was later renamed Shanjixi… More details about Longrui Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units