Qionglin Yimen Sanjie Fang Introduction
The Qionglin Three-Widow Arch is located on the ancient official road in the western outskirts of Qionglin Village, Jinhu Township. It is one of the only three surviving Qing Dynasty archways in Kinmen, and its story is the most tragic among them. This stone archway was built in the 11th year of the Daoguang era (1831) and, while it appears to symbolize glory, it carries the poignant story of the three widows of the Cai family. It has now been designated as a county historical site. During the Daoguang era, Cai Zhonghuan’s wife, Chen, became a widow at the age of 29 when her husband passed away. She managed the household and diligently raised their young sons, Fanggui, Shangwen, and the posthumous child Shangshen. Later, Cai Shangwen married the daughter of Chen Wenxin from Doumen, but unexpectedly, he died at the age of 21, leading his wife to follow in her mother-in-law's footsteps as a widow. Tragically, their son Cai Shangshen also married and lost his wife, Huang, at the age of 29, leaving her a widow as well. Despite their hardships, the three widows of the Cai family remained steadfastly faithful, economized, and ultimately enjoyed a prosperous old age, with Chen seeing five generations living together and over eighty descendants. The officials reported to the ministry to commend them by erecting the archway. The Qionglin Three-Widow Arch is constructed of white stone from Quanzhou and blue stone from Doumen. The stone pillars are engraved with couplets written by officials, each word beautifully expressing the perseverance and valor of the three widows.
