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Eastern Han

Chinese ancient architecture and grottoes from the Eastern Han period: 4 entries, including Feng Huan Que, Qimu Que, Shaoshi Que, and more.

001 Architecture Taishi Que The Taishi Que (pillar-gates) stand some hundred paces south of the Zhongyue Temple in Dengfeng, Henan, serving as the spirit-road gates before the temple of Mount Taishi of the Central Peak. They were first built in the fifth year of Yuanchu under Emperor An of Han (118 CE) by Lü Chang, magistrate of Yangcheng. The lintel bears a raised-seal inscription reading “Central Peak Taishi Yangcheng.” The front inscription praises the mountain spirit: “the mound earth…, the purest qi of Dai, spring gives birth to all things, clouds rise from an inch of skin.” A rear inscription was added in the fourth year of Yanguang. Together with the Shaoshi Que and the Qimu Que, they are known as the Three Han-Dynasty Que of Mount Song. Eastern Han · Henan · Dengfeng City, Henan Province
002 Architecture Shaoshi Que The Shaoshi Que stand west of Xingjipu at the eastern foot of Mount Shaoshi in Dengfeng, Henan, serving as the spirit-road gates before the temple of Mount Shaoshi, with east and west pillars facing each other. The north face bears the six-character inscription “Spirit-Road Que of Shaoshi.” The pillar bodies are carved with images of cuju (football), hounds chasing hares, and unicorns. The Song Shu comments that their style is “especially archaic and unadorned.” The temple itself vanished long ago; the Jinshi Tu notes: “The Shaoshi temple can no longer be seen; only these que remain.” Eastern Han · Henan · Dengfeng City, Henan Province
003 Architecture Qimu Que The Qimu Que stand due south of the Qimu Stone beneath Mount Taishi on Mount Song in Dengfeng, Henan. They are spirit-road gates built in the second year of Yanguang under Emperor An of Han (123 CE) by Zhu Chong, Grand Administrator of Yingchuan. The Qimu Stone is said to be the transformation of Tushanshi, wife of the Great Yu—Yu turned into a bear while taming the floods; Tushanshi fled in shame and at the foot of Mount Songgao turned to stone, which cracked open on its north side and gave birth to Qi. The left side of the pillar body bears a large-seal inscription narrating Yu’s flood-control deeds. Eastern Han · Henan · Dengfeng City, Henan Province
004 Architecture Feng Huan Que The Feng Huan Que stand at Zhaojiaping beside Tuxi Field in Quxian. Their owner, Feng Huan, was a native of Dangqu who rose to Inspector of Youzhou under Emperor An of the Eastern Han. In Jian'guang 1, a forged imperial edict led to his imprisonment; after he appealed and died in custody, the court still granted burial compensation. Local gazetteers say he was returned to his home district. Song and Qing epigraphic works use the que inscription, imperial edict, broken stele, and stele reverse to recover his unrecorded tenure as Inspector of Yuzhou and explain “Yanwang Tomb” as a local misnomer. Eastern Han · Sichuan · Quxian, Dazhou, Sichuan Province

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