The wife of Wang Jiaxianzu Wang Xinwen, Zhong Shi, lived to be 108 years old. In 1888, Ba County petitioned Emperor Guangxu to erect the ‘Centenary Archway’ for Zhong Shi at the entrance of Yutai Alley. In the past society, it was a gate-like building erected to commend merits and achievements, imperial examination degrees, benevolent governance, loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness, or for other purposes of flaunting and commemoration. It is a decorative building unique to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The ‘Literary and Historical Materials of Nan’an District’ records in just a few words: ‘In the fourteenth year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1888 AD), there was an archway built on the main street of Danzishi. It was engraved with ‘The wife of Wang Xinwen, a political advisor bestowed by imperial decree, Lady Zhong’. At that time, the Wang family was already living in five generations under one roof. This archway is named ‘Centenary Archway’. With the development of society and the changes of the times, the original Centenary Archway has been destroyed. Chongqing Merchants Land Development Co., Ltd. invested a huge amount of money to reconstruct the Centenary Archway. The Centenary Archway faces east from west. It is a stone imitation of wooden structure with four columns, three bays and five floors, presenting a triple-eaved cross-section shape like a pagoda. It is about 12.32 meters high, about 10.42 meters wide, and 2.9 meters deep. The archway is composed of several parts including the base, body, tower, and top. There are green lions and white elephants in front and behind the columns. The top is the character for longevity, pointing straight up to the sky. In addition to being embellished with exquisite carvings such as cranes, brocade clouds, auspicious birds, and auspicious plants; on the front of the forehead hall are the two vertical characters ‘bestowed by imperial decree’. On the front of the middle hall is engraved ‘Centenary Archway’. On the lower hall, from top to bottom are ‘The wife of Wang Xinwen, a political advisor bestowed by imperial decree, Lady Zhong’, and ‘Five generations under one roof’. Then there are two couplets on the four columns. The first one: ‘Rejoicing today that the phoenix adorns the Han court with a hundred years of celebration. Remembering in the past when the phoenix occupied the Yi family and flourished for five generations.’, inscribed by Bao Ruxie. The second one: ‘The rites manifest longevity and the eternal prosperity of the longevity daylily. The poems continue to inspire and the legacy is fragrant.’, inscribed by He Yisun. On the back, the third one: ‘Born beside the Southern Dipper, the peak is as lofty as Mount Tianmu. Born is the essence of Xihua, and the blessings reach future generations.’, inscribed by Huang Anshi. The fourth one: ‘Virtuous conduct has long stored auspicious omens and the sign of a noble offspring. Noble sounds are succeeded and happiness spreads like grasshoppers.’, inscribed by Luo Fuhao. The Centenary Archway, with five generations living under one roof, perfectly combines human history and artistic value.
The full text is open all year round and all day. The specific business status is subject to the opening situation on that day.
