Memorial Arch (Paifang)

Paifang, or arch in English, is a wooden or stone archway built mainly to commemorate  the great

achievements or loftiness of a family's ancestors. It is often erected in front of a tomb, temple, and

ancestral hall or along the road. Many beautiful lucky birds or beasts, exquisite flower patterns, or

characters written by celebrities are carved on the arch.

Paifang symbolizes Chinese culture and has a long history.

Paifang can be divided into three types according to their different functions. 'Loyalty'  Paifang is

used to record a person's merit or great deeds. If a person passed the imperial examinations, his

family members would erect a Paifang because he brought honor to their ancestors. The 'Chastity'

arch is built to honor a woman's loyalty to her husband. Other Paifang may contain little deep meaning;

serving only as a symbol of a street or a village.

Each Paifang has its own cultural connotation and symbolization which are expressed in the beautiful

colored patterns. The common designs on Paifang include dragon and phoenix, bat, deer and fish. The

Paifang decorated with dragon and phoenix must belong to a royal family, because the dragon is the king

of beasts and represent the emperor, while the phoenix is the queen of birds and represents the empress.

'Bat', in  Chinese, is 'bianfu', with pronunciation similar to 'fu' (blessing); so the bat is regarded as a symbol

of good luck and happiness.