Tangyue Memorial Archway

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Located in the Shexian County of Anhui Province, Tangyue Memorial Archway is set on the road at the entrance of the Tangyue village in the west of Shexian County. It hosts 7 archways, which are arranged in order of loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and charity. The memorial archways are embraced by ancient ancestral halls, residential houses, and breathtaking natural scenery.

In recent years, Tangyue Memorial Archway group has become the natural movie base in China and such well-known plays as A Dream in Red Mansions were shot there. At present, it is regarded as a top sightseeing spot by travelers from within China and abroad.

Among the 7 memorial archways, three were built during the Ming Dynasty and four during the Qing Dynasty. Baocan Memorial Archway was built during the Jiajing Period of the Ming Dynasty to honor the dutiful son named Baocan It is 31 feet (9.54 meters) long, 10 feet (3.54 meters) deep and 29 feet (8.86 meters) high.

Decorated with exquisite carvings, the memorial archway is very elegant and splendid. Cixiaoli Memorial Archway was built to honor Baozongyan and Baoshousun, who were father and son. When rebels captured them and wanted to kill one of them, both of them were willing to sacrifice their life for the other’s survival. Therefore, this memorial archway is set up to honor the pair.

Jiexiao Memorial Archway of Wu was built during Qianlong’s reign during the Qing Dynasty to honor a woman who remained a widow all their life. At the age of 22, a woman married Baowenyuan. Unfortunately, her husband passed away when she was 29. Since then, she remained a widow and treated her stepson as her own. With her considerate care, her stepson grew up and became a famous calligrapher. What is more, she looked after her sick mother-in-law until she died. The local officers were so moved by her kindness towards her late husband’s family that they set up a memorial archway for her, despite the tradition that no archways should be built for the second wife.