[2025 She County Attraction] Travel Guide for Xu Guo Stone Archway (Updated Feb)

Transportation: The high-speed railway station is Shexian North Station. You can drive directly to Huizhou Ancient City Parking Lot from nearby cities. Tourist Route: 1. Shexian Huizhou Ancient City in the morning, free of charge. The main attractions are Xu Guo Stone Archway and Huizhou Prefecture Yamen. Xu Guo Stone Archway: The only existing octagonal archway in China, unique! This is definitely a must-see attraction in Huizhou Ancient City. You can see it as soon as you enter the ancient city! Huizhou Prefecture Yamen: (Charged) The office of Huizhou Prefecture, known as the "Forbidden City of Huizhou". The back garden can directly go up to the city wall. It is a large place. You can see it on the left hand side when you enter the ancient city. Dou Shan Street: A small alley at the back of the ancient city, almost no tourists. It integrates ancient streets, ancient wells, ancient archways, and residential houses. It is very suitable for walking around. You will find small surprises inadvertently. Xi Jie Da Yuan Auditorium: Soviet-style auditorium, very nostalgic. Now it has been changed to Huizhou Lecture Hall. You can go in and take a look and take photos! Shexian Delicacies: Two stinky, stinky one, hairy tofu, similar to stinky tofu, the taste is a bit softer, the raw material before frying is tofu with a layer of white hair. In fact, it is not smelly and very delicious. Stinky two: Stinky mandarin fish, Huizhou famous dish 2. Go to Chengkan Bagua Village in the afternoon. It is autumn, and Chengkan also has autumn drying, but some are artificially arranged. However, the village is very beautiful, with blue tiles and white walls, the rice is already yellow, the lotus leaves are still green, and there is a small river next to the village. It is very beautiful to take pictures, just like a watercolor painting. The commercialization is not strong, and there are some small ornaments and bracelets for sale, which are affordable. If you can stay here for one night, you will definitely feel the tranquility of a paradise. Shexian·Huangshan

🏮Huizhou Ancient City, known as one of the "Four Great Ancient Cities of China"🏰, is also the birthplace of "Huizhou Studies"📚. It has well-preserved numerous mansions🏠, archways🚩, ancestral halls🏛️, residences🏡, and academies🏫 from the Ming and Qing dynasties, making it feel like a journey back in time🕰️, immersing visitors in a historical painting🖼️. Compared to other ancient cities, Huizhou Ancient City seems more reserved and low-key🌌, like an unpolished gem💎, waiting for us to discover its unique charm✨. 🌟Check-in Guide🌟 1️⃣🚶‍♀️Stroll along Doushan Street Walking on the bluestone road🛣️ feels like traveling through time🚀, with every step echoing the traces of history👣. On both sides are ancient Huizhou-style buildings🏮, with white walls and black tiles🏘️, and towering horse-head walls🏰, giving a unique flavor of this ancient city💖. 2️⃣📸Check-in at Xuguo Stone Archway Also known as the Scholar's Archway📜, it stands at the entrance of the ancient city🚪 and is a relic from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty🕰️. The archway is majestic and magnificent🏛️, with exquisite carvings🎨, seemingly narrating historical tales📖. 3️⃣🏛️Explore Huizhou Prefecture Government Office Built in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties🏢, it is a key cultural relic protection unit🛡️. It combines the solemnity and dignity of ancient officialdom👑 with modern elements🔮, showcasing a unique blend of ancient and contemporary styles🌈. 4️⃣🌊Visit Yuliang Dam Not far from the ancient city🏞️, Yuliang Dam has a history of over 1,000 years📜. It is a famous ancient water conservancy project🏗️ in Huizhou, known as the "First Dujiangyan in Jiangnan"🌊. Standing on the dam, you can enjoy the beautiful river scenery🌅 and appreciate the wisdom and diligence of the ancients💪. 📍Address: Huizhou Ancient City, Huizhou District, Huangshan City, Anhui Province📍 🚗Transportation: It is recommended to drive🚗, as there is a parking lot🅿️ in the scenic area for the convenience of visitors. 🌸Huizhou Ancient City, a place full of historical charm and cultural heritage📖, awaits your arrival🙋. Come here to experience the millennial charm🕰️ and explore the source of Huizhou Studies!🌸

Huizhou Ancient City, a dazzling gem in modesty! 🏯 Did you know? Huizhou Ancient City is honored as one of the 'Four Great Ancient Cities of China', and is also the birthplace of 'Huizhou Studies'! 📚 Here, a large number of mansions, archways, ancestral halls, residences, and academies from the Ming and Qing dynasties are hidden, as if every brick and tile is telling an ancient story. 🎎 But did you know? Compared to those famous ancient cities, Huizhou Ancient City is particularly modest, even less well-known than the surrounding villages. However, believe me 🤝, once you set foot on this land, you will definitely be deeply attracted by its charm! 💖 ✨ Here comes the check-in strategy! 1️⃣ Doushan Street: Stroll on the bluestone road 🚶‍♀️, the Huizhou-style buildings on both sides seem to be telling you the vicissitudes of this ancient city's history. Every brick and tile exudes an ancient charm, making you feel as if you have traveled back to that ancient era. 🏞️ 2️⃣ Xu Guo Stone Archway: This is a place not to be missed! 👀 This stone archway, also known as the Scholar Archway, was erected during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, right at the entrance of the ancient city, with a majestic presence, as if it is narrating the glory of those years. 🏛️ 3️⃣ Huizhou Prefecture Yamen: The Huizhou Prefecture Yamen 🏛️, built at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, is a key cultural relic protection unit. It not only has an ancient atmosphere but also incorporates modern elements, displaying a unique style. 🏰 4️⃣ Yuliang Dam: This irrigation project 🌉 not far from the ancient city has a history of over 1000 years. It is a famous ancient water conservancy project in Huizhou, known as the 'Dujiangyan of the South of the Yangtze River'. Standing here, you can not only feel the wisdom of the ancients but also enjoy the beautiful scenery. 🌊 📍 Address: Huizhou Ancient City, Huizhou District, Huangshan City, Anhui Province 🚗 Transportation: It is recommended to drive there 🚗, there is a parking lot in the scenic area, and parking is convenient! So, don't hesitate any longer! Come to Huizhou Ancient City and experience this dazzling gem in modesty! 🚗🎉

Located within the ancient city of Shexian, the Xu Guo Stone Archway, also known as the Grand Scholar Archway, consists of four connected arches with eight legs standing side by side, commonly referred to as the "eight-legged archway." It is a typical stone archway construction from the Ming Dynasty and is a key national cultural heritage site. If one were to say that in the "Archway Museum" of Shexian, you could only see one archway, it would be this Xu Guo Stone Archway. This unique archway in the country was erected in feudal society to honor achievements, scholarly success, virtuous governance, and the virtues of loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and righteousness. 【History】 Established in the twelfth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, in October (1584 AD). The owner of the archway, Xu Guo, was a native of Shexian, a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during the Jiajing era, and a high-ranking official during the Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli reigns, serving as the Crown Prince's Tutor and Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion. For his 'decisive contributions' in pacifying rebellions in Yunnan, he was promoted to Junior Guardian and conferred the title of Grand Scholar of the Wuying Hall. In ancient times, ordinary citizens could only build four-legged archways, while only the imperial family could build eight-legged archways; otherwise, it was considered an offense. It is rumored that Xu Guo, to reflect his prestige and achievements, built this 'presumptuous' archway without prior approval, acting first and reporting later. 【Structure】 The entire archway is composed of two three-bay, four-pillar, three-story stone archways in the front and back, and two single-bay, two-pillar, three-story stone archways on the left and right sides (shared by the front and back arches), with a total height of 11.4 meters. The stone material used is hard and greenish 'Hui return' stone. The stone archway is covered with carvings, with shallowly engraved ruyi heads at the ends of the beams and lintels, and designs of intertwined branches and brocade patterns with openwork. The central diamond-shaped frame features deep relief carvings, such as 'soaring dragon,' 'auspicious crane in the clouds,' 'fish leaping over the dragon gate,' 'majestic phoenix and auspicious qilin,' 'dragon court eagle dance,' 'three reports of joy,' 'qilin playing with colored balls,' 'phoenix passing through peonies,' and more. Inscriptions on all four sides of the stone archway include 'Grand Scholar,' 'Junior Guardian and concurrently Crown Prince's Tutor, Minister of Rites, Grand Scholar of the Wuying Hall, Xu Guo,' 'Scholar before Official,' 'Senior Statesman,' and other large characters carved out of the stone, which are the work of Dong Qichang, a Ming Dynasty painter and calligrapher. The stone archway stands at the east side of the Yang Gate in the ancient city of Huizhou, straddling the street, accessible from all sides, resembling a divine cauldron standing within the city, signifying the once glorious Xu family and the long-standing culture of Huizhou. Visitors are invariably amazed by its towering grandeur and the exquisite and varied carving skills. Within the ancient city of Huizhou, there are also other Ming Dynasty archways such as the Chongguang Archway and the Ye Family Chastity Archway (wooden structure). Address: Inside the ancient city of Huizhou, Shexian County, Anhui Surroundings: Huizhou ancient city, Doushan Street, Yuliang Dam, Yuliang ancient village, Tangyue Archway Group, etc