The Stele of the Gold-Rejection Pavilion

The Stele of the Gold-Rejection Pavilion

The Stele of the Gold-Rejection Pavilion is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Stele of the Gold-Rejection Pavilion is located at the intersection of Guangming Road and Jiaochang Street in downtown Dongguan, Guangdong Province.

The stele was erected in the 21st year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1542 AD). According to its inscriptions, at the time, foreign trade in parts of Guangdong was in chaos, with serious issues of bribery and unfair fines, and even cases of forced labor imposed on foreign merchants. When Li Kai, the magistrate of Panyu County who also oversaw the port, took office, he adopted fair policies for foreign traders—“not sealing their ships, not conducting random inspections, requiring them to self-report their cargo for inspection. No fixed quotas were imposed, and he strictly forbade his subordinates from harassing them.” Deeply grateful, the foreign merchants, led by the Siamese trader Na Zhi Ya Kan, pooled together 100 taels of silver to present to Li Kai as a token of appreciation. However, Li Kai firmly declined the gift. Unable to return the money to the merchants, Na Zhi Ya Kan went to Guangzhou to seek approval from Li Kai’s superior to use the funds to build a pavilion in recognition of Li Kai’s integrity. After receiving approval, Na Zhi Ya Kan constructed a pavilion, an archway, a stele, and a plaque in one of the busiest and most populated areas of Dongguan at the time—the military drill ground. The pavilion was named the “Gold-Rejection Pavilion,” and the stele came to be known as the “Stele of the Gold-Rejection Pavilion.”

The stele stands 184 cm tall and is 102 cm wide. Its bluestone body and red sandstone base give it a sturdy and solemn appearance. The stele was meticulously crafted: its upper part is gently arched and carved with delicate cloud patterns, between which sits the inscription title in ancient seal script. Below this is the main text in regular script, exquisitely engraved, with characters still clearly legible to this day.

This stone stele, erected over 460 years ago by foreign merchants, not only records the historical fact of Dongguan providing a favorable investment and trading environment for foreign merchants during the Ming Dynasty but also reflects the simple, civilized, and clean governance image of Dongguan citizens at the time.

In 2006, the Stele of the Gold-Rejection Pavilion was approved by the State Council to be included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units