Zijin Chastity Archway

Zijin Chastity Archway

The Zijin Chastity Archway is located in Pailouxia Village, Longwo Town, Zijin County. It was built on the 13th day of the 12th lunar month in the 55th year of the Qianlong reign (December 1790) by imperial decree to honor Madam Wen for her “chastity.” The structure is a four-pillar, three-bay, three-story stone archway with a hanging gable roof. It stands 5.57 meters tall, has a total width of 6.47 meters, and the archway gate is 4.47 meters wide. Stone lions are placed on both sides, made of granite and engraved with exquisitely carved patterns and designs. Despite over 200 years of weathering, it remains well-preserved to this day.

The local farmer Huang Xianguan’s wife, Madam Wen, married at the age of 19 and gave birth to a boy at 22. When their son was just 9 months old, her husband Huang Xianguan passed away due to illness. With her elderly mother-in-law and a family of three to support, Madam Wen relied on hard farming and weaving to make ends meet and also provided for her son’s education, eventually raising the orphan to adulthood. Later, the county magistrate, in recognition of Madam Wen’s chastity, submitted a petition in the 53rd year of the Qianlong reign (1788) that was approved, leading to the construction of this archway.

Longwo Town: Located in the southeastern part of Zijin County, Longwo Town was approved by the Guangdong Provincial Government in May 2002 as one of the four central towns of Zijin County. Adjacent to Wushi, Shuidun, Suqu, and Waxi, it serves as the economic, cultural, and commercial hub of southern Zijin. In 2003, the town covered an area of 400 square kilometers, including 49,117 hectares of mountainous land and 5,013 hectares of arable land. It governed 33 administrative villages and 1 neighborhood committee, with a total population of 75,538 and 3,356 households. The total industrial and agricultural output value of the town was 184.32 million yuan, and the per capita net income of farmers was 2,842 yuan. The town has convenient transportation within its area... More detailed information about Longwo Town++