Dongyue Temple Xiyu Archway

Dongyue Temple Xiyu Archway

Dongyue Temple Xiyu Archway is a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Dongyue Temple Xiyu Archway

Era: 22nd year of the Jiaqing reign in the Qing Dynasty (1817) Category: Ancient architecture

Address: Group 9, Lingyan Village, Guankou Town

Protection level: Provincial-level cultural relics protection unit

Dongyue Temple Xiyu Archway is situated at the southeastern foot of Lingyan Peak and approximately 500 meters northeast of Lingyan Temple in Group 9, Lingyan Village, Guankou Town, Dujiangyan City, Chengdu, Sichuan Province. It was constructed in the 22nd year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1817). The archway faces south and is built from bluestone, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. It spans seven and a half meters across four pillars and three bays, with an overall height of six meters. The central section has a triple-eaved roof, while the sides have progressively simpler double and single eaves. The upper central beam is inscribed with “Fairy Capital,” the middle reads “Xiyu Archway,” and the lower part is marked “Fifth Grotto Heaven.” The stone pillars are engraved with couplets on both the front and back, and the archway’s lintel and braces are adorned with bas-reliefs and carvings of figures and floral patterns. Seven meters in front of the archway, there is one ornamental column-like dew basin on each side, standing five meters tall, inscribed with “22nd Year of the Jiaqing Reign of the Great Qing” among other markings. According to the inscription on the Dongyue Temple stele, in the Jiaqing Jiayou year (1814), Sichuan suffered a severe drought with no rain in May. Local residents prayed for rain at Dongyue Temple, and their prayers were answered with rainfall. To express gratitude for the divine blessing, Ma Yuanjun oversaw the renovation of the temple and the construction of the Xiyu Archway to commemorate the virtue. This archway provides valuable insight into the development of religious architecture.