The Yang Clan Longevity Archway

The archway stands about 300 metres southwest of Wuzhai Village, Sanggu Township, Xiayi County, roughly 2.5 kilometres from the Xia-Sang Highway. Locals commonly call it "General Liu’s Archway".

It was erected by imperial edict in honour of Madam Yang, First-Rank Dowager Lady. She was the wife of Liu Chaofeng, a Martial Jinshi of the Kangxi reign and Garrison Commander of Zhao’an Battalion in Fujian Province, as well as the mother of Liu Guantong, a Martial Jinshi of the Gengxu year and Deputy Military Governor of Xi’an.

The archway suffered severe damage during the Cultural Revolution. Some stone components were destroyed or lost, while the rest remain on the original site, awaiting restoration.

The whole structure is built of bluestone, with a surviving height of about 5 metres. All decorative patterns are shallow relief carvings, including Nobles Travelling in Chariots, Eight Immortals Offering Birthday Greetings, together with auspicious beasts and birds such as dragons, phoenixes, kylins, deer and red-crowned cranes. There are also carvings of auspicious clouds, pine trees, lotus flowers, orchids and chrysanthemums.

The two central pillars bear a couplet: Crane years and pine longevity; the whole world admires this venerable matriarch.

Imperial edicts and imperial calligraphy; the Son of Heaven bestows the purple ribbon from the highest court.

Both sides of the main horizontal tablet are inscribed with four characters: Hall of Maternal Longevity. Beneath the inscription on the front face reads: Archway for Madam Yang, First-Rank Dowager Lady by Imperial Patent, Wife of Liu Chaofeng, Mandarin of Glorious Prosperity by Posthumous Imperial Grant Dated: Fourth month, the Guisi year of Kangxi reign (1713 AD).

The reverse side of the tablet bears the inscription: Longevity Archway for Madam Yang, First-Rank Dowager Lady by Imperial Patent, Mother of Liu Guantong, Deputy Military Governor of Xi’an, Shaanxi, Mandarin of Glorious Prosperity by Imperial Patent Dated: Auspicious winter day, the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign (1728 AD).

This archway is now listed as a Provincial Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit of Henan Province.