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Qiwu Four-Gate Tower

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The Four-Gate Tower, also known as the Mother-Gazing Tower, is located in the middle section of Gongyuan Street in Qihuo County. It was first built in the 43rd year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1615) by a local resident named Li Jihang. Since the Qing Dynasty, it has undergone multiple renovations. This structure is a hybrid of pavilion and memorial archway architecture, facing south with a triple-eaved, cross-hipped roof covered in green glazed tiles. It is a protected cultural heritage site. In 2002, it applied for municipal-level cultural relic protection status (approval pending). Despite nearly four hundred years of weathering, wars, and political turmoil, it still stands proudly in a corner of the ancient city of Qiwu. It embodies the delicate and exquisite beauty of southern Chinese pavilions as well as the grandeur and solemnity of northern traditional architecture, serving as a symbolic representation of Qiwu’s ancient civilization.

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The Qiwu Four-Gate Tower is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

The Four-Gate Tower, also known as the Mother-Gazing Tower, is located in the middle section of Gongyuan Street in Qihuo County. It was first built in the 43rd year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1615) by a local resident named Li Jihang. Since the Qing Dynasty, it has undergone multiple renovations. This structure is a hybrid of pavilion and memorial archway architecture, facing south with a triple-eaved, cross-hipped roof covered in green glazed tiles. It is a protected cultural heritage site, and in 2002, it applied for municipal-level cultural relic protection status (approval pending). Having withstood nearly four hundred years of wind and rain erosion, wartime chaos, and political upheaval, it still stands in a corner of the ancient city of Qiwu. It combines the delicate, exquisite beauty of southern Chinese pavilions with the majestic, awe-inspiring presence of northern traditional architecture, making it a symbolic architectural landmark of Qiwu’s ancient heritage.

Legend has it that during the Jin Dynasty, the favored concubine Li Ji of Duke Xian of Jin slandered Crown Prince Shensheng, leading to his exile in Xin City. After Li Ji’s death, she was buried under the Qiwu Four-Gate Tower, condemned to be trampled upon by generations of people. The tower features a triple-eaved, three-story structure, with both the first and second floors having three bays on each of their four sides and a depth of three bays.

The Four-Gate Tower boasts a unique design, combining the features of a pavilion and a memorial archway. The upper and lower sections of the archway, as well as the spandrels and panels, are adorned with exquisitely carved bas-reliefs, showcasing significant artistic value. The second floor features cantilevered eaves, similar in style to those of the drum tower in Huozhou. The third floor culminates in a cross-hipped roof, unifying the four archways into a cohesive whole, giving the entire structure the appearance of a grand pavilion. The meticulously crafted spandrels, decorative panels, vibrant paintings, and glazed tiles create a dazzling visual impact.

Phone: 0357-4526727

Address: Qiwu County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province