Six-Foot Lane

　　Six-Foot Lane is a small alley over 100 meters long and about 2 meters wide, paved with cobblestones. According to local chronicles: During the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, Zhang Ying, who served as Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall and Minister of Rites, was working in the capital. When his relatives back in his hometown of Tongcheng got into a dispute with their neighbor, the Wu family, over land while laying the foundation for a new house, they wrote to him asking for help. Upon reading the letter, the grand secretary immediately replied: "A letter only to ask for a wall, why not yield three feet? The Great Wall still stands after a thousand miles, but the First Emperor of Qin is no more." The message was clear: he urged his family to show restraint. After reading the letter, the family voluntarily yielded three feet. Deeply moved, the Wu family also yielded three feet. Three plus three equals six—thus, "Six-Foot Lane" came into being, a lane about 2 meters wide. Since then, the story of Six-Foot Lane has been celebrated in Zhang Ying’s hometown, now Tongcheng City in Anhui.

　　Speaking of Zhang Ying, even many Chinese may not be familiar with him. But mention his son, Zhang Tingyu, and it's a different story. Zhang Tingyu, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) during Emperor Kangxi’s reign, rose to the positions of Grand Secretary of the Baohe Hall and a Grand Councilor. During the Yongzheng era, when the Grand Council (Junji Chu) was established, Zhang Tingyu drafted its regulations. He continued to enjoy the emperor’s trust during the Qianlong era and was granted the title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. Serving under three emperors—Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong—for a total of 50 years, Zhang Tingyu was the third son of Zhang Ying. Zhang Ying’s eldest son, Zhang Tingzhan, was also a Jinshi from the Kangxi era. As a result, for centuries in Tongcheng, there have been sayings such as "Father and Son Prime Ministers’ Mansions," "Three Jinshi within Five Li," and "Two Top Imperial Scholars Across the River."

　　Zhang Ying built the "Shuangxi Thatched Cottage" at the confluence of two small rivers on the outskirts of Tongcheng City. The study’s door plaque bore the inscription: "Frugality and diligence are the foundation of managing a household; harmony and compliance are the basis of receiving blessings." He emphasized "frugality and diligence" as well as "harmony and compliance"—meaning "simplicity," "hard work," "peace," and "success"—which are also traditional Chinese virtues. Emperor Kangxi also composed a couplet for the Shuangxi Thatched Cottage: "White birds, free of worldly thoughts, watch the clouds drift by; green mountains, forever young, let flowers bloom and fade in their courtyards." Thus, Six-Foot Lane has become a historic site where visitors can also gain profound insights.

　　Six-Foot Lane is located between West Back Street and Wumu Garden in downtown Tongcheng. Since the 1980s, the former site of Six-Foot Lane has received high attention from governments and relevant departments at all levels. In 1985, the Tongcheng Municipal Government designated Six-Foot Lane as a municipal-level key cultural relic protection unit. In 1993, the Anhui Provincial Government allocated special funds for partial restoration; in 1999, the Tongcheng Municipal Government again allocated special funds to rebuild and expand the site. Zhang Geng, deputy director of the Tongcheng Museum, explained:

　　"The current 'Six-Foot Lane' was reconstructed in 2002. Our city restored 'Six-Foot Lane' on the original site. Restoring 'Six-Foot Lane' is about reviving the spirit of 'Six-Foot Lane'—the spirit of courtesy and humility, mainly reflected in yielding. The lane is still six feet wide. Based on historical records, the height of the walls, the method of wall construction, and the treatment of the ground have all been restored to their original appearance, preserving the old as it was. 'Six-Foot Lane' itself was once a thoroughfare in the old city, and even after restoration, it remains a traffic passage."

　　The main structures of the present-day Six-Foot Lane include the lane itself, the "Courtesy" stone memorial archway to the east, the "Virtue Lasts Forever" stone memorial archway to the west, a leisure plaza, a poetry-and-painting screen wall, rockeries, and more. It has now become an independent tourist attraction, with the depths of the alley still exuding a rare vibrancy. Anhui’s Tongcheng Six-Foot Lane is perhaps one of the most expansive alleys in Chinese traditional culture imbued with the philosophy of "harmony." Its "width" does not lie in the "six feet," but in the breadth of people’s minds and the spirit of harmony and mutual respect.

　　The main features of today’s Six-Foot Lane include the lane itself, the "Courtesy" stone memorial archway to the east, the "Virtue Lasts Forever" stone memorial archway to the west, a leisure plaza, a poetry-and-painting screen wall, and rockeries. It has now become an independent tourist attraction, with the depths of the alley still exuding a rare vibrancy. Anhui’s Tongcheng Six-Foot Lane is perhaps one of the most expansive alleys in Chinese traditional culture imbued with the philosophy of "harmony." Its "width" does not lie in the "six feet," but in the breadth of people’s minds and the spirit of harmony and mutual respect.

　　

　　Zhang Ying (1637~1708)　　Zhang Ying (1637–1708), styled Dunfu, also known as Lepu and by his sobriquet Juantu Weng, was a native of Tongcheng, Anhui Province, and an official of the Qing Dynasty. He was the father of Zhang Tingyu. A Jinshi in the sixth year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign, he was selected as a Shujishi (imperial scholar) and eventually rose to the position of Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall and Minister of Rites. He successively served as chief editor for the compilation of the "National History," "Comprehensive Gazetteer," "Yuanjian Leihan," "Political Canon and Training," and "Strategies for Pacifying the Northern Desert." In the 47th year of Kangxi’s reign, he passed away and was posthumously given the title Wendum. Biography Zhang Ying was born in 1637 (the 10th year of the Ming Chongzhen era). In 1663, at the age of 27, Zhang Ying passed the provincial examination. In the sixth year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign, he ranked fourth among the second-class Jinshi, becoming an inner court Hanlin academician... More+

　　Zhang Tingyu (1672~1755)　　Zhang Tingyu (1672–1755), styled Hengchen and also known as Yanzhai, was a native of Tongcheng, Anhui. During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, he served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Punishments. During the Yongzheng Emperor’s reign, he held positions such as Minister of Rites and Minister of Revenue. In the late Kangxi years, he reformed the lax official governance system and later refined the Grand Council system. He served as chief editor for the "Strategies for the Emperor’s Personal Campaign to Pacify the Northern Desert," Vice President for the "Provincial Ceremony Grand Ceremony" and the "Veritable Records of Emperor Shengzu of Qing," and President for the "History of Ming," "Veritable Histories of Four Dynasties," "Collected Statutes of the Great Qing," and "Veritable Records of Emperor Shizong." He was posthumously given the title "Wenhe" and was honored in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the only Han official in the entire Qing Dynasty to receive this honor. Early Career In the 11th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign of the Qing Dynasty (1672)... More+