A pair of unassuming archways in Shandong, hidden in the corner of a school! Not very famous, but they are from the Ming Dynasty's Prince Heng

👀Today, I'd like to recommend a lesser-known tourist spot in Shandong—Qingzhou Prince Heng's Mansion Stone Archways. 🌟These stone archways are located in a small corner of Weifang Nursing Vocational College. They are not very famous, but they are the only remaining relics of the Ming Dynasty's Prince Heng's mansion. 💫Prince Heng's mansion was built by Zhu Youyong, the seventh son of the Ming Dynasty's Emperor Xianzong, in Qingzhou in 1499. It was grand in scale and once known as the most magnificent building complex in Qingzhou. 🏯This pair of stone archways are the remnants of the main gate 'Wu Chao Men' of Prince Heng's mansion. They stand opposite each other, 43.5 meters apart. Each archway is carved from 28 huge limestone blocks, with a height of 7 meters and a structure of four pillars and three gates. 🎨The architectural structure of the archway body is exquisitely designed. The base is divided into three layers, carved with auspicious patterns such as lions, kirins, lotuses, peonies, and lotus flowers; the stone pillars are carved with kirin creatures, and the stone plaques are embossed with 'twin dragons playing with pearls' and text. 📜The embossed text on the two horizontal plaques in the middle is strong and powerful, with broad and elegant characters, and is considered a treasure of Ming Dynasty stele art. 🌄Although the stone archways have experienced vicissitudes, they still stand tall, witnessing the historical changes. 👍In 1990, this pair of stone archways was listed as a key cultural relic protection unit in Qingzhou City, and in 1992 it was elevated to a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in Shandong Province. 📍If you are interested in history and culture, why not come here to take a look and feel the glory and grandeur of the Ming Dynasty's Prince Heng's mansion.