Hainan Jieyuan Archway

Hainan Jieyuan Archway

Hainan Jieyuan Archway

The Jieyuan Archway is located on the east side of the Old Market on Dongmen Street in Ding’an County, Hainan. Originally positioned behind the memorial shrine of Wang Shangshu (now behind Dingcheng Hospital), it was constructed in the first month of the lunar year 1568 (the second year of the Longqing era in the Ming Dynasty) to commemorate Wang Honghui, a Hanlin Academy probationary scholar at the time. Wang Honghui was a native of Longmei Village in Ding’an County and served as Minister of Rites in Nanjing during the Wanli era. He ranked first in the 1561 Guangdong Provincial Examination (Xinxi Class) during the 40th year of the Jiajing era, hence the archway’s plaque is inscribed with the word “Jieyuan” (the top successful candidate in the provincial examination). The Jieyuan Archway was initially erected on Middle Street in Ding’an Town and was renovated once during the Qing Dynasty. In the summer of the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928), due to the construction of a new street, the archway was relocated to its current site.

The Hainan Jieyuan Archway stands 5.1 meters tall and is three bays wide. The central bay (excluding pillars) is 3 meters wide, while the side bays (excluding pillars) are 1.5 meters wide. The stone plaque of the Jieyuan Archway in the central bay is 77 centimeters wide, 3 meters long, and 20 centimeters thick. The front features a large recessed square-character inscription in regular script that reads “Jieyuan” (70 cm per character). On the right side is a smaller recessed vertical-script inscription in regular script: “Renovated by Han Yi, Prefect of Qiongzhou Prefecture; Chen Mengxue, Vice Prefect; Yang Mai, Sub-Prefect; Huang Shouqian, Magistrate of Ding’an County; and Yuan Cui, Magistrate of Ding’an County.” On the left side is another smaller recessed vertical-script inscription in regular script: “Built by Wang Honghui, Hanlin Academy Probationary Scholar; first month of the lunar year 1568; relocated and re-erected in the summer of the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928) by Kong Mingjing, descendant of the scholarly clan, together with others.” The back of the archway’s central plaque features a large recessed square-character inscription in regular script that reads “Hanlin” (60 cm per character). On the right side is a smaller recessed vertical-script inscription in regular script: “Wang Tongdao, Imperial Commissioner and Inspector of Liangguang; Yao Shiwei, Deputy Regional Inspector of Hainan Circuit.” On the left side is another smaller recessed vertical-script inscription in regular script: “Built by Wang Honghui, Hanlin Academy Probationary Scholar; first month of the lunar year 1568.”

Wang Honghui, courtesy name Shaochuan, literary name Zhongming, was a native of Ding’an County in Qiongzhou Prefecture, Guangdong (now Hainan Province). Born in 1541, he passed away from illness in his hometown of Ding’an in 1617 at the age of 76. After his death, he was posthumously granted the title of Minor Tutor to the Crown Prince and honored with an imperial burial ceremony. Wang Honghui was a renowned official and educator of the Ming Dynasty. He held various positions including Hanlin Academy probationary scholar, Hanlin Academy reviser, compiler, associate examiner for the metropolitan examination, Supervisor of the National University, Vice Minister of Personnel in Nanjing, and Minister of Rites in Nanjing. A distinguished figure in literature, he authored works such as Shangyou Hall Manuscripts, Travels in Wu and Yue, Tianchi Grass, Collection of the Crane Pavilion, Record of the Marvelous Southern Frontier, and Records of Southern Rites... More details about Wang Honghui ++