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Nanshe Centenarian Memorial Archway

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The Centenarian Memorial Archway is located on the north bank of Ximen Pond in the Ming and Qing dynasty ancient architectural complex of Nanshe Village, Chashan Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province. It was built between the 20th year (1592) and the 26th year (1598) of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty. The structure extends 16.8 meters in depth and spans 10.4 meters in width, covering a total area of 174.7 square meters. In ancient times, when medical science was not yet advanced, “it was rare for people to live to seventy.” At that time, five individuals from Nanshe Village—Xie Yanzhen, Xie Shisi, Xie Zhenhou’s wife Madam Huang, and Xie Yanjuan’s wife Madam Ye—all lived to be one hundred years old. The county magistrate Li Wenkui and prefect Zhao Yuan reported this to the imperial court and requested the construction of an archway in their honor. Upon approval, the court granted funding for the building of a memorial shrine, which was named the “Centenarian Memorial Archway.” As such, the front of the structure resembles a traditional memorial archway, while the rear is a shrine, reflecting the respect accorded to women at the time. Hence, the shrine’s plaque is inscribed with the name “Ren Shou Tang” (Hall of Benevolence and Longevity).

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The Nanshe Centenarian Memorial Archway is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Centenarian Memorial Archway is located on the north bank of Ximen Pond in the Ming and Qing dynasty ancient architectural complex of Nanshe Village, Chashan Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province. It was built between the 20th year (1592) and the 26th year (1598) of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty. The structure extends 16.8 meters in depth and spans 10.4 meters in width, covering a total area of 174.7 square meters. In ancient times, when medical science was not yet advanced, “it was rare for people to live to seventy.” At that time, five individuals from Nanshe Village—Xie Yanzhen, Xie Shisi, Xie Zhenhou’s wife Madam Huang, and Xie Yanjuan’s wife Madam Ye—all lived to be one hundred years old. The county magistrate Li Wenkui and prefect Zhao Yuan reported this to the imperial court and requested the construction of an archway in their honor. Upon approval, the court granted funding for the building of a memorial shrine, which was named the “Centenarian Memorial Archway.” As such, the front of the structure resembles a traditional memorial archway, while the rear is a shrine, reflecting the respect accorded to women at the time. Hence, the shrine’s plaque is inscribed with the name “Ren Shou Tang” (Hall of Benevolence and Longevity).

Nanshe Village: Located southeast of Chashan Town and approximately 18 kilometers from downtown Dongguan, Nanshe Village enjoys convenient transportation. It covers an area of 4.13 square kilometers, comprises seven villager groups, and has a registered population of 3,690, with about 10,000 migrants. In 2016, the village's total operating income at both the village and group levels reached 33.62 million yuan, with a net income of 18.08 million yuan, demonstrating steady growth in its collective economy.

Since 2015, Nanshe Village in Chashan Town has been featured on CCTV programs six times, showcasing the profound historical culture and unique charm of Chashan and even Dongguan to audiences across the nation. Among them... More details about Nanshe Village++