Dongyaowen Memorial Archway

Dongyaowen Memorial Archway

Dongyaowen Memorial Archway is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Dongyaowen Memorial Archway

Era: Ming and Qing Dynasties

Address: Dongyaowen Village, Chengxi Subdistrict, Yongji County, Yuncheng City

There are two memorial archways in Dongyaowen: the Brick Memorial Archway and the Stone Memorial Archway. The Brick Memorial Archway faces east and was built in the 40th year of the Qianlong reign (1775) as a Chastity and Filial Piety Archway to honor Wang, the wife of the late Grand Scholar Meng Ting. It features four pillars and three stories, is 11.5 meters wide, 2.7 meters deep, and 12 meters tall. The pillars are round and made of brick, and each bay has a round arched gate—except the side bays which have false doors. It has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The eaves are adorned with brick carvings imitating wooden bracket sets. The central bay features carved panels depicting scenes such as “Orchid Pavilion” and “Prosperous Spring.” The side bays display 64 exquisitely crafted and richly detailed brick carvings that embody strong themes of feudal chastity and filial devotion, making this a true gem of folk brick carving art.

The Dongyaowen Stone Memorial Archway was built in the first year of the Chongzhen reign (1628) during the Ming Dynasty as a Chastity and Filial Piety Archway to honor Zhang, the wife of the late local resident Wei Wu. It faces east and is a four-pillar, three-bay, five-story structure. It is 9.5 meters wide, 2.7 meters deep, and 9 meters tall overall, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The archway is constructed from over 80 bluestone blocks. The central and side pillars are square stone columns resting on lotus-petal-shaped pedestals and column-hugging stones, which are carved with playful lion cubs. The main and secondary roof eaves feature recessed carvings of five-tiered double-bracket sets. The central bay includes carved panels with motifs such as “Women Holding Children,” “Women and Horses,” “Women with Birds,” and “Women with Flowers.” The side bays include panels carved with themes such as “Ladies in the Boudoir” and “Women Picking Lotus.” The lower section of the main bay features carvings of “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea” and “Elegant Ladies,” while the upper section includes “Flower and Bird” and “Landscape” carvings. The side bays are inscribed with couplets. The base of the central pillar is engraved with “Built by the Family of Wei” and the year “Chongzhen First Year.” On the stone foundation are carved images of “Mythical Beasts Guarding the Tomb.” The brackets under the eaves are carved with images of dragons, phoenixes, lions, and other auspicious beasts. The entire archway is exquisitely carved, with rich cultural symbolism, and stands as a masterpiece of stone carving from the Ming Dynasty. The hill south of the village features Mount Yao Wangtai, believed to be the ancient dwelling place of the legendary emperors Yao, Shun, and Yu. At the foot of the mountain lies a fossil belt of ancient organisms—including dinosaur and mammoth-like remains—dating back over 200 million years. The village boasts profound cultural heritage and abundant tourism resources. Agriculture... More detailed information about Dongyaowen Village ++

On October 7, 2019, the Dongyaowen Memorial Archway was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Dongyaowen Village: Located southwest of Chengxi Subdistrict in Yongji City, Dongyaowen Village is a village rooted in Chinese ancestral civilization. The village comprises six villager groups, with a population of 1,762, 561 households, 39 Party members, and 2,430 mu of arable land. To the north, the village connects to Electric Motor Avenue and is just 0.25 kilometers from the Yongji West Entrance of the Yuncheng-Fengling Expressway, offering convenient transportation. Blessed with talented people and beautiful scenery, the village hosts both brick and stone memorial archways from the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the west, and Yao Wangtai Mountain to the south. Yao Wangtai is considered the ancient homeland of the legendary emperors Yao, Shun, and Yu. At the foot of the mountain lies a fossil belt of ancient organisms—including dinosaur and mammoth-like remains—dating back over 200 million years. The area enjoys rich cultural heritage and abundant tourism resources. Agriculture... More detailed information about Dongyaowen Village ++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units