Qionglin Yimen Sanjie Square Introduction
The Sanjie Archway of Qionglin is located on the ancient official road in the western outskirts of Qionglin Village in Jincheng Township. It is one of the only three remaining Qing Dynasty archways in Kinmen, and it holds a particularly poignant story. Built in the 11th year of the Daoguang era (1831), this stone archway seems to symbolize glorious honor, but behind it lies a heartbreaking tale of three widows from one family. During the Daoguang period, Cai Zhonghuan's wife, Chen, was left a widow at the age of 29 when her husband passed away. She single-handedly managed the household and worked hard to raise her young children, Fanggui, Shangwen, and her posthumous son, Shangshen. Later, Cai Shangwen married the daughter of Chen Wenxin from Doumen, but tragically, Shangwen passed away when he was just 21 years old, leaving Chen to also follow the path of widowhood like her mother-in-law. Unfortunately, the youngest son, Cai Shangshen, also married but lost his wife, Huang, when she was only 29, making her a widow as well. Despite their hardships, the family of widows remained steadfast in their loyalty and frugality. In their later years, they experienced better times, with Chen seeing her five generations living together and over eighty descendants. The local authorities recognized their virtues and erected the archway in their honor. The Sanjie Archway of Qionglin is constructed from white stone from Quanzhou and blue stone from Qingdou. The stone pillars are engraved with couplets authored by officials, each word beautifully poignant, expressing the unwavering integrity of the three widows and their resilience against adversity.
