The Stone Four-Gate Archway and the Wooden Four-Gate Archway

The Stone Four-Gate Archway and the Wooden Four-Gate Archway

The Stone Four-Gate Archway and the Wooden Four-Gate Archway are national key cultural relics protection units.

The Four-Gate Archways (including the Stone Archway and the Wooden Archway)

The Four-Gate Archways (including the Stone Archway and the Wooden Archway) [Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units]

Era: Ming Dynasty

Location: Intersection of the southern old city of Yicheng County

Date of establishment unknown. The stone archway features a four-pillar, three-story bluestone structure with a single-eave, cross-hipped roof. It was renovated multiple times during the 39th year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty (1611), the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong era, and the Republican period. The structure is square-shaped, allowing passage on all four sides, with each face measuring 5.5 meters in both width and depth. The beams, brackets, rafters, and columns are all intricately made. The stone surfaces are decorated with unconventional yet elegant carvings of figures, birds, beasts, and flowers, rendered on the pillars and lintels. The main motifs are prominent, offering a strong sense of dimensionality. The fluid and well-balanced engravings give the stone archway a refined and magnificent appearance, a true masterpiece of architectural artistry.

The wooden archway is located to the north of the city, facing the stone four-gate archway. It has a four-pillar, three-story wooden structure with a double-eave, cross-hipped roof, standing over 20 meters tall. It was rebuilt in the 41st year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty (1631) and underwent multiple renovations during the Qing Dynasty's Kangxi era and the Republican period. The structure is square-shaped, with each face measuring 6 meters in both width and depth, and allows passage on all four sides.

The stone four-gate archway boasts exquisitely lifelike carvings, utilizing various techniques such as round carving, openwork carving, semi-round carving, and flat carving. Patterns of figures, birds and beasts, and flowers are uniquely arranged on the stone pillars and crossbeams. With a strong emphasis on key elements, a vivid three-dimensional effect, and smooth, well-spaced carving lines, the stone archway gives off a sense of refined grandeur—like a miraculously crafted gateway.

It’s common to see archways built along major thoroughfares, but most are flat, single-panel structures with a central passageway. This archway, however, is three-dimensional, allowing passage on all four sides. The four single-panel archways on the east, south, west, and north “come together” to form one unified archway—hence the name “Four-Gate Archway.”

The wooden four-gate archway is about a hundred meters away from the northern stone four-gate archway, commonly referred to as the wooden archway or wooden gate. Its date of establishment is unknown. It was rebuilt in the 41st year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty (1613), and underwent renovations in the 15th year of the Kangxi era in the Qing Dynasty (1676) and the 14th year of the Republican period (1925).

The wooden four-gate archway features inscriptions on its northern lintel reading “Seal of the Elder” above and “Imperial Favor Shines Bright” below; on the western lintel, “Top Scholar” above and “Elegant Calligraphy Carries the Fragrance” below; on the eastern lintel, “Provincial Graduate” above and “Osmanthus Hall Spreads Its Fragrance” below; and on the southern lintel, “Classical Scholar” above and “Outstanding from the Palace Walls” below. These inscriptions suggest that the construction of the wooden archway is closely tied to the imperial examination system. By honoring the “Seal of the Elder,” “Top Scholar,” “Provincial Graduate,” and “Classical Scholar,” it aimed to inspire students to study diligently, achieve success, bring honor to their families, and leave a lasting legacy.

The wooden four-gate archway is square-shaped, with each face measuring 6 meters in both width and depth, allowing passage on all four sides. It has a two-tiered drip eave and a cross-hipped roof, standing over 20 meters tall. The eight pillars stand directly on the ground without bases, arranged in four groups of two, positioned on five-sided platforms. The arrangement of the pillars combines a square layout with single-file vertical supports.

In May 2013, the Stone Four-Gate Archway and the Wooden Four-Gate Archway were jointly designated as part of the Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units