Kaijiang Taoist Memorial Archway

Kaijiang Taoist Memorial Archway

The Kaijiang Taoist Memorial Archway is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Ren Market Taoist Memorial Archway is located at the entrance of Ren Market Street, 35 kilometers south of Kaijiang County. Originally built in the eighth year of the Guangxu reign (1882), it was constructed by Zhang Jiufeng, a fifth-rank imperial official granted the title of “Fengzheng Daifu” under Qing regulations, in honor of his wives and concubines. The archway faces south and opens to the north, featuring a four-pillar, three-bay, pavilion-style structure. The entire archway is assembled from dozens of fired and cast ceramic pieces, with beams and columns connected through mortise-and-tenon joints using plaster and chiseling—without any iron components. Four square pillars and ten square crossbeams form the main framework, with three arched gates. The base of each pillar is a Sumeru pedestal carved with lotus petals and thunder patterns, atop which are ceramic drums adorned with carvings of ruyi motifs and floral designs on the front and back of the pillars and on both sides of the archway. These are firmly integrated, giving the structure a majestic and solid appearance. Various colorful patterns are carved on all inner and outer surfaces of the archway. At the top of each pillar and on the ceramic drums sit hollow-carved reclining lions. The central ridge of the archway features a high-relief carving of “Two Dragons in Clouds,” while the underside of the ridge bears an inscribed plaque vertically engraved with “Imperial Edict.” This plaque is surrounded by carvings of “Five Dragons Holding the Edict,” with civil and military officials depicted on either side as guards. The central crossbeam is carved with “Double Phoenixes Facing the Sun.” Other horizontal beams feature over 20 hollow-relief and openwork carvings depicting operatic scenes and mythological stories. Complementing these intricate patterns are poetic inscriptions and couplets. This unique Taoist memorial archway dedicated to chastity and filial piety in northeastern Sichuan has withstood a century of history and remains well-preserved to this day. It reflects the exquisite level of pottery craftsmanship, painting, and carving techniques in the Daba Mountains over a hundred years ago. The archway was designated as a third-batch Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the provincial government in May 1991.

In May 2006, it was combined with the Gan Tang Hu Family Chastity Archway under the name “Kai-Fang,” and was announced by the State Council as part of the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Location: Dazhou Street, Ren Market

1. Ren Market Taoist Memorial Archway

Protected Area: To the east, bounded by the edge of residential buildings 38 meters from the archway; to the south, bounded by the street entrance 24 meters from the archway; to the west, bounded by the edge of residential buildings 13 meters from the archway; to the north, bounded by the edge of residential buildings 31 meters from the archway.

Construction Control Zone: Extending 30 meters eastward, 38 meters southward, 17 meters westward, and 25 meters northward from the protected area boundary.

2. Gan Tang Hu Family Chastity Archway

Protected Area: Extending 20 meters outward from the base of the archway.

Construction Control Zone: Extending 30 meters eastward to the river, 200 meters southward to Wufu Bridge, 100 meters westward to the village entrance, and 100 meters northward to the farmland.