Monumental archway and tower
Updated: 2010-05-28
An archaized monumental archway is erected at the southern end of Quanfu Road where the old and new town quarters meet. Four solid square light-brown granite stone pillars support a ceiling of layers of eaves and warped ridges. The robust wooden arch unveils the charms of Ming-style architecture.
Four gilded Chinese characters, “Zhen Feng Ze Guo” (“an admirable waterside place”) written by Shen Peng are inscribed on the plaque at the northern side. The couplet inscribed on the poles was composed by Feng Yingzi and written by Gu Tinglong.
The first line of the couplet reads that the town, faithful and untiring, is on the road to prosperity, and the second line reads that the town is fortunate to meet the flourishing age of well-off days. They indicate that the Zhouzhuang people are unyielding and courageous, and will finally find a road to improve people’s lives, guided by the Party's policies.
The southern side of the plaque is inscribed with the phrase, “Tang Feng Jie Yi” (the essence of Tang Dynasty traditions). It was written by Fei Xinwo in beautiful cursive script. It is regarded as a eulogy to the preservation and protection of the legacies of traditional Zhouzhuang culture.
The pole couplet on this side was composed by Zhou Huitian in ancient poem styles, describing bluish waves ripple upon the vast lake in fine days in the first line, and the tower standing high to approach the sky, leaving miraculous shadows in the second line. They project in effect a picture of the old town featuring the beauty of the lake, boats, mist, towers and walls.
Quanfu Tower, an archaized tower, stands amid the group of ancient-styled buildings to the west of the monumental archway. The tower is a concrete cement complex, 33 meters high. People may climb up along the spiral stairs to get into the tower and have a glimpse of remote hills, nearby water, houses and the park scenery.
The place also accommodates folk custom performances, such as dragon and lion dances, Tiao Hua Lan (carrying flower baskets) and Tang Hu Chuan (row boats in the lake), and other celebratory activities.
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