Ximorujin Archway (Mengziya Archway)

Ximorujin Archway (Mengziya Archway)

Ximorujin Archway (Mengziya Archway) is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Ximorujin Archway is located in Mengzi Village, Mayang Township (directly left in front of the entrance to the Mayang Township Nursing Home, originally named Mengziya Archway, also known as Xuehai WenZong Archway.). Built during the Qing Dynasty, it faces southeast and is situated northwest, featuring a four-pillar, three-bay, five-story stone archway. It stands 6.2 meters tall, 0.6 meters thick, and has a total width of 7.4 meters. The structure of the archway is rather unique: fine sandstone imitates wooden mortise-and-tenon joints, built exquisitely and distinctively. On the main ridge of the central bay’s upper story sits a hexagonal pavilion-style tower with a bottle-shaped finial, and the stone spire resembles a giant rafter. Each of the flanking side bays features an arch-shaped door beneath the eaves, with two small towers converging at the top of the doorways. The archway is adorned with relief carvings, its pillars engraved with couplets, and its base flanked by drum-shaped stones at the front and back. On both sides of the archway stand two stone tablets each, while the central front and back surfaces are inscribed with the bold characters “Ximorujin” (Precious as Ink) and “Xuehai WenZong” (Academic Ocean and Literary Ancestor), respectively. This stacked-tower architectural style of the stone archway is rare within the province.

In December 1986, the Yan Ting County People’s Government designated it as a county-level cultural relic protection unit.

On July 27, 2009, the Mianyang Municipal People’s Government designated it as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit.

In July 2012, the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government designated Mengziya Archway as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

Protected area: Extending 20 meters outward from the outer edge of the archway.

Construction control zone: Extending 30 meters outward from the protected area.

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units