Dengdi Archway

Dengdi Archway

Dengdi Archway is located in the eastern part of Tang Village, Bailian Town. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it is a county-level cultural relic protection unit. The structure faces north-south and is a four-pillar, three-bay, open-top stone memorial archway, measuring 4.65 meters in width and 3.9 meters in height. In the 22nd year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty (1486), it was built to commemorate Wu Jinghui, a scholar and judicial officer of Guilin Prefecture who sacrificed his life for the country. The deputy envoy constructed it under the imperial edict of Emperor Xianzong. Wu Jinghui was a native of Tang Village in Tangyi District and served as a judicial officer in Guilin Prefecture, Guangxi. In the 20th year of the Chenghua reign (1484), a fierce land dispute broke out among residents of He County. The imperial inspector sought officials to mediate the conflict, but many were too afraid to go. Wu sighed, “I was appointed to care for the people — even death cannot deter me!” He resolutely went and was ultimately killed by bandits. The local people mourned him deeply. Deputy Envoy Gu Qiran composed a memorial poem that read: “To study was never for personal gain; to serve the country — who knew it would become a cause of doom?”

Source: Party History Research Office of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee