Scholar's Stone Memorial Archway

　　The Nancun Scholar's Stone Memorial Archway is located in Nancun Village, Hetang Town, Pengjiang District. Constructed in the sixth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1527), it was built by Emperor Shizong of Ming to honor Yu Jing, a scholar who passed the imperial examination in the Xinyi year of the Zhengde era. The archway is a four-pillared, three-bay, three-story stone structure, standing 8 meters tall with a total width of 10 meters. It features a hip-and-gable roof, with multiple tiers of bracket sets (dougong) decorating the eaves. The main plaque is inscribed with phrases such as “Imperial Censor,” “Grand Promotion,” “Scholar of the Zhengde Xinyi Year Yu Jing,” and “Erected on a Propitious Day in the Second Month of the Dinghai Year, 1527.” A vertical tablet bears the characters “Imperial Favor” adorned with a qilin (mythical unicorn) design, all of which are well-preserved.

　　According to the Guangdong General Annals, Yu Jing, a native of Nancun Village, Bai Teng, Hetang, with the courtesy name Chao Gang and the pseudonym Shi Long, was known for his uprightness and impartiality. He served as an imperial censor and an attendant official in the Ministry of Justice, where he remonstrated against high-ranking officials such as Hu Shininng, Vice Minister of War; Xiao Mingfeng, Educational Commissioner of Nanjing; and Wei Xiao, Educational Commissioner of Guangdong—earning widespread praise. Later, he boldly advised the emperor to be receptive to good counsel, for which he was punished with caning and demoted to the post of county magistrate in Zhangpu, Fujian. Due to his effective governance, he was later promoted to magistrate of Ou’ning County. Throughout his official career, he remained incorruptible and earned deep respect from both the court and the public. After his death, senior provincial officials including the governor, surveillance commissioner, provincial administration commissioner, and judicial commissioner escorted his coffin back to his hometown.