Chinese Paifang
3 min readPai Fang，also called Pai Lou，is a traditional Chinese architectural form similar to an archway.Its origin can be dated back to the Zhou Dynasty.It is an archway usually made of fine wood or stone，and painted or ornamented with glazed tiles.
Originally Pai Fang served as a marker for the entrance of building complexes，mausoleums，temples，bridges，parks，or towns.Later，Pai Fang was built to function as decoration or to commemorate virtuous people，making one form of memorial architecture.Se&o Pai Fang has long been a symbol of China.It is valued for its rich connotations.Deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture，carved decorative designs in the beams of the Pai Fang are meant to carry various symbolic meanings.Look at the following examples.
Dragon and Phoenix:Honored as the king of beasts，in ancient China the dragon symbolized the overwhelming imperial power enjoyed by emperors，while the phoenix，honored as the queen of birds，was a token of the nobleness of queens in Chinese feudal society.b Bat:The Chinese often use sound and pictures to convey a meaning.For instance，the bat is a symbol of happiness because fu，the Chinese word for bat，also sounds like the Chinese word for happiness（also pronounced as fu）.Therefore，bat designs can be frequently seen in theancient Pai Fang，which symbolizes the Five Blessings of longevity，health，wealth，safety，and prosperity of offspring.
Deer: The deer is a symbol of promotion and consequently wealth，because the Chinese translation for the word“deer”sounds like lu，which in ancient China literally meant the salary of an official and is a pun on the word for wealth.
Fish: Along with a pond and lotus，the design of fish can be commonly seen in Pai Fang.It is meant to convey the wish that people can enjoy a surplus，such as financial security，year after year.Also，in ancient China the design of“the carp leaping over the dragon’s gate”（鲤鱼跳龙门）symbolized academic success in the Imperial Examination，as the carp is a good fortune symbol known for its legendary courage to swim against rapid currents.
In addition，carvings of some other animals like cranes，tortoises，and kylins（Chinese Paifang），and plants like the pine，lotus，and peony，were also common themes to convey blessings of good fortune.
In ancient China，the inscriptions carved on the beams of the Pai Fang reflected the people’s life aspirations and Chinese moral values.Building the Pai Fang was an important folk ritual in feudal society.The event marking the erecting of Pai Fang was considered very solemn.
What’s more，in ancient China with its rigid hierarchical system，it was necessary to build a Pai Fang through a set of complex procedures.The Pai Fang marking academic success in the Imperial Examination required the approval from local officials，while the Pai Fang marking one’s chastity，benevolence，or virtue was not allowed to be built without the permission of the emperor.Even the size and the style of Pai Fang were chosen according to one’s social status.
