In the construction of stone archways, due to the different properties of various materials, it is rare to choose to use wood or bricks. Most of them are built with stone. Therefore, the stone archways in Huizhou area Mostly. Its main structure consists of pillars, pillar stones, beams, forehead squares, buildings and other parts, which form the main structure of the entire archway. It is also decorated with sparrows, inscription plaques, dragon and phoenix plaques, flower panels, brackets, kissing beasts and other components.
Pillar Stones
The pillar stones of stone carving archways are generally placed at the front and back of the columns, at the bottom of each column. Their purpose is to support and strengthen the sturdiness of the columns, so that They are not easy to collapse, and some of them are decorated with beautiful and simple curves or cirrus clouds, with sun and moon disks engraved on them, and cirrus clouds shaped like noses, which are generally called "sun and moon curling elephant trunks and legs". "; Some are decorated in the shape of drums, and the curves and round stone drums are perfectly combined, which are called "Drum Stones"; some are decorated in the shape of cirrus clouds, and some are carved in the shape of stone lions, most of which are squatting. To the lion. Shown are the different forms of pillar stones including curved shape, drum stone and stone lion.
The rich form changes make the rigid stone building appear soft and charming, while adding to the decorative nature and grand and dignified momentum of the archway. For archways with more than three rooms, the middle is usually called the bright room, and the left and right sides are called the secondary rooms. The pillar stones between the primary and secondary rooms will also be different. In the stone archway of Hu Wenguang's governor, the stone lion appears to be swooping forward, and is placed on the pillar stone in the open space of the archway. On the pillar stone, there are zigzag patterns and curly grass patterns, and the patterns are rich and exquisite. The secondary pillars of the archway are cirrus-shaped "sun and moon curling elephant legs".
Columns and forehead squares
As part of the columns supporting the stone archway, the columns of the Huizhou stone archway were mostly oblique octagonal columns during the Ming Dynasty. By the Qing Dynasty, they were basically missing. The angled pillars have a simple structure. They are mostly square pillars and do not require too much carving. They are occasionally decorated with simple patterns. They are very simple and generous, and highlight the stretch and straightness of the entire stone archway. For example, in the Huang's Chastity Arch in She County, the powerful square pillars are lightly engraved with brocade patterns and zigzag patterns, and the beams are engraved with cloud-patterned Ruyi hoops and brocade burdens. The whole form is grand and neat, and the lines are carved with square and thick lines The contrast is obvious and it is very formal. The beams connect the distance between each column, and the top of the beams are supported by stone slabs. These stone slabs are usually called squares, and they can be divided into large squares, small squares, etc. The early forehead squares were in the form of a simple rectangular shape. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the forehead squares began to appear in the form of a moon beam. The beam body curved downwards and was slightly arched. Because it resembled a stubby winter melon, it was called a "winter melon beam." The beams and columns of the archway together form the main body of the archway. Because the beams serve as a link between the previous and the following, they usually become the visual center of stone archway buildings. The carvings on the beams are generally more delicate and clear, containing a warm and soft beauty.
quette
At the intersection between the lower part of the beam square and the upright column, there are components placed to prevent the beam from breaking due to excessive load-bearing, because it looks like outstretched wings. The bridges that carry a certain load are called quetai. The quetai plays a role in reinforcement and decoration in the construction of stone archways. The sparrows on Huizhou archways generally play a decorative role. Some carvings are curved, with the curved lines flowing vividly, and the melody producing tight and tight changes; some are also carved into triangular shapes, etc. The carvings are simple and graceful, the carving is skillful, the layout is compact, and the overall appearance is beautiful and comfortable. In the later period, the quetai evolved from its original structural function to a decorative object, and then became simple and complicated, from rough to delicate, and finally became a decorative component of the stone archway.
Plaque
The plaque on the stone archway is engraved with an inscription, which is called "Ti", which is the inscription plate. The importance of the inscription plate is often reflected in its iconic and commemorative nature. In the archway, the inscriptions on the plaque integrate calligraphy art and carving art, and are given to the natural color of the stone itself to form a harmonious and unified tone. With concise calligraphy and smooth carving, it forms the visual image center of the entire archway. . Some archways have multiple inscriptions due to the number of bays, such as the inscriptions on the dragon and phoenix tablets under the roof of the bright room, the inscriptions on the upper and lower foreheads, the inscriptions on the side buildings of the second room, etc. The name of the inscribed plaque usually directly represents the type of the memorial arch, such as the "Filial Filial Piety" Square, the "Filial Son" Square, the "Charity-loving" Square, etc. Merit stone carving archways usually use the name or official name of the person to be commended as the name of the archway. In the "Grand Scholar" archway in China, the four forehead squares are respectively inscribed with the three words "Grand Scholar", and the prominent "Grand Scholar" inscribed in regular script The "Enrong" plaque shows the honor bestowed by the emperor. Next to the word "Enrong" is a double dragon carving. The inscription surrounded by dragons and phoenixes is called the Dragon and Phoenix plaque.
On the front and back squares, there are inscriptions in regular script: "Learn first, ministers later" and "Elders who came to power." The words on the square were written by Dong Qichang, a master of calligraphy. The font is dignified, neat, dignified and powerful.
Flower panels
The flower panels of the stone archway are located on both sides of the plaque on the main building. On multi-bay archways, they are mainly used to enrich the image of the archway, play a decorative role, and set off the plaque. Some flower boards will also be carved into hollow boards. The main purpose is to reduce wind resistance and ensure the stability of the archway through its hollow characteristics.
Dougong
Dougong usually exists as a transitional component between the roof and the pillar arch. The bow-shaped jumps appear on the top of the archway in a symmetrical form, which maintains the overall stability and stability. The function of decoration and beautification.
The building and the kissing beast
The building of the stone archway is built on the upper part of the square. It usually has a roof, mainly in the form of hanging mountain type, resting mountain type and verandah roof. Some of the obvious roofs are decorated with carvings of kissing beasts. The proportions of the kissing beasts are coordinated and dynamic. For example, the Hu Wenguang Cishi Archway in Xidi Village has upward-turned cornices carved on the left and right sides and the top of the building, and the eaves are decorated with turtle-kissed beasts. The tentacles of the turtle are wavy, integrating decoration and lightning protection functions. The shape is vivid and graceful, and is full of formal beauty.