Huizhou Ancient City – One of the Four Best Preserved Ancient Cities

The Xu Guo Stone Archway, also known as the “Grand Secretary Archway” or colloquially as the “Eight-Legged Archway,” was built in the 12th year of the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli reign (1584 AD) by Xu Guo, the Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. Located outside the Yanghe Gate of Huizhou Ancient City, it is the only “Eight-Legged Archway” still standing in China. The structure is meticulously crafted with a rigorous design and is shaped like the Chinese character “口” (mouth). It measures 11.54 meters in length from north to south, 6.77 meters in width from east to west, and stands 11.4 meters tall. The entire archway is constructed from blue-green tea garden stone, mimicking wooden structures, with decorative patterns similar to those found in Huizhou folk architecture. The archway is adorned with exquisite carvings on every plaque, bracket, and sparrow brace, with 12 lions perched atop the stone bases, each in a unique pose. As an architectural symbol of merit, academic achievement, and moral integrity in feudal society, the Xu Guo Archway serves as a profound representation of China’s ancient history and culture and has been hailed as the “Oriental Arc de Triomphe.”

The Huizhou Government Office is situated in the heart of the Huizhou Ancient City Scenic Area in Shexian County. It symbolizes Huizhou Prefecture and was constructed in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, maintaining the layout established during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty, featuring one axis and five gates. It is considered the most imposing government office complex in China. Covering a total area of 24,000 square meters, with a building area of 9,800 square meters, the office complex includes key structures such as the Southern Watchtower, Ceremony Gate, Main Hall, Second Hall, and the Prefect’s Residence. In 2009, the government office was restored at its original site according to the architectural standards of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty.

The office is laid out in a north-south orientation, with a symmetrical axis, and exhibits a hierarchical order with the main hall at the center and auxiliary structures on the sides. The distance and proportions between each courtyard from the screen wall to the Prefect’s Residence are reminiscent of a miniature Forbidden City. The complex is arranged in a tripartite progression, with interconnecting passageways, well-organized zones, and clear divisions, reflecting typical official architectural practices. The entire government office is a corridor-style layout, facing the street in the north-south direction, with the three courtyards and the east and west wings, along with the Eastern and Southern Watchtowers and the ancient city wall, forming a representative group of ancient buildings in Huizhou Ancient City.

The Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall is located on Zhonghe Old Street in Shexian County. It was rebuilt in 1984 on the site of the former Chongyi School, where Tao Xingzhi studied during his youth. The name of the hall was inscribed by Hu Yaobang, then General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, when it was first established. The memorial hall was expanded twice, in 1991 and 2003, and now covers an area of 1,700 square meters. The south-facing entrance is constructed with gray water-polished bricks, and above the entrance is a large stone plaque engraved with Hu Yaobang’s handwritten inscription, “陶行知纪念馆,” in six gilded characters. Inside the entrance hall is a full-body seated statue of Tao Xingzhi made of white marble. The second floor serves as an exhibition hall displaying a biography of Tao Xingzhi, along with related documents and artifacts. Behind the exhibition hall is the site of the original Chongyi School.

Doushan Street is located within Shexian County and derives its name from its proximity to Doushan Mountain. It is a first-class protected area in a city with a rich cultural history and is a tourist cultural site that integrates ancient residential houses, old streets, ancient carvings, wells, and archways. Doushan Street was built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and stretches over 300 meters in length. It features typical Huizhou residences, including the Wang Family Residence, the Yang Family Courtyard of government officials, the Xu Family Hall, which was a private school, the Pan Family Courtyard of merchants, the thousand-year-old “Toad Well,” and the rare wooden shield archway known as the “Ye Family Lu Festival Arch.”

Hui Garden is located in the bustling center of Huizhou’s main city, connecting Zhonghe Street to the south and Huizhou Road to the north. Covering an area of 20,000 square meters with a construction area of 18,000 square meters, it is known as the “Grand View Garden of Huizhou Culture.” The garden adheres to the principles of focusing on history, respecting the environment, striving for excellence, and highlighting local characteristics. Built on the foundation of the ancient city’s western wall, Hui Garden is considered a model of Huizhou Ancient City’s preservation. Construction began on March 25, 1999, and was completed on November 16, 2000.

Hui Garden showcases the essence of the “Three Wonders of Huizhou Architecture”—archways, ancestral halls, and residences – along with the craftsmanship of the “Three Carvings of Huizhou” – brick carving, wood carving, and stone carving. The main structures within the garden include Renhe Tower, Demoon Tower, Tea House, Huifeng Stone Archway, Hui Garden’s First Tower, Deyi Tower, Chunfeng Tower, Guojie Tower, Ancient Opera Tower, Lotus Pond Jade Belt Bridge, Wanjin Linggui, Nine Dragons and Nine Phoenixes Wall, and the Southeast Zoulu Archway.

South Qiao Tower was originally built at the end of the Sui Dynasty and was rebuilt during the Xuanhe period of the Song Dynasty. In the 14th year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty, it underwent significant reconstruction. The tower served as the main gate of the outer city of the Prince Wu’s Mansion, and it was where the nighttime curfew was enforced with drum signals echoing from the tower.

The South Qiao Tower is approximately 20 meters high, 15 meters wide, and 10 meters deep, with a brick-and-wood structure. It features a hip-and-gable roof with double eaves and a high ridge, purple walls, and blue tiles. Below the tower is the gate with a width of 4.5 meters, flanked by 13 wooden pillars on each side. Each pillar has a circumference of over 1 meter and is inclined at an angle of about 10 degrees against the wall to support the large beams.

Taibai Tower is located at the head of Taiping Bridge and is an example of classical Huizhou-style architecture. This elegant pavilion-style building is dedicated to the renowned Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. The tower houses a collection of books, calligraphy, plaques, and couplets related to Li Bai’s life and works.

Above the main screen wall, a plaque inscribed with the phrase “长天一勺” (A Ladle of the Vast Sky) references the twenty-sixth chapter of the Confucian text Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean). This phrase suggests that although the heavens and earth are vast and a ladle of water is small, the principles governing their changes are interconnected.

Legend has it that Taibai Tower was originally a tavern where Li Bai, the “Immortal Poet” of the Tang Dynasty, visited in Huizhou to meet the recluse Xu Yiping but was unable to find him. To honor the poet, the tavern was later renamed Taibai Tower. The site also includes notable scenic spots associated with Li Bai, such as the Moon Fragment Beach and the Celestial Viewing Bridge.

Located on the west bank of the Lianjiang River, across from Huizhou City in Anhui Province, Xin’an Stele Garden is a classic example of Huizhou-style private garden architecture. This serene garden is framed by Taibai Tower, Piyun Peak, and Lianjiang Water, and is adjacent to Taiping Bridge. The garden is divided into several sections, including Zhenshang Pavilion Courtyard, Shechi, Xiaotiandu Courtyard, Liangqing Hall Courtyard, and Piyun Small Cottage Courtyard.

A pair of large stone lions marks the entrance to the Zhenshang Pavilion Courtyard. Above the entrance, the phrase “古墨衍芬” (Ancient Ink’s Fragrance) is inscribed by contemporary Shanghai calligrapher Chen Congzhou. The garden’s Mo Miao Corridor serves as a gallery connecting various scenic areas and is dedicated to showcasing stele inscriptions.

The Mo Miao Corridor houses over 250 pieces of calligraphy and stone carvings, including the “Qingjian Hall” and “Yuqing Study” stele sets, as well as works by renowned artists like Huaisu’s “Self-Narration” and Dong Qichang’s “Painting Zen Room Essays.” These stele inscriptions are highly esteemed in both Chinese and Japanese calligraphy circles, with remnants of “Yuqing Study” preserved at the Japanese Calligraphy Museum.

Yuliang Dam, located to the south of Huizhou City, extends from Yuliang Wharf in the north to the foot of Ziyang Mountain in the south. As the largest ancient water conservancy project in Huizhou, it is often referred to as the “Dujiangyan of Jiangnan.”

The dam measures 138 meters in length, 27 meters at the base, 6 meters at the top, and stands about 5 meters high. Constructed of stone, the dam has a trapezoidal cross-section. It features three drainage gates that descend from north to south, designed to handle regular water flow and floodwaters. The dam is built with stone and stone joints like silver ingots and stone keys, with vertical stone columns placed approximately every 1.5 meters to reinforce the structure.

Originally built during the Tang Dynasty, the dam has undergone numerous repairs over the centuries. The current structure was restored in 2000, based on repairs from the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi period (1688-1693).