Qingxucaimenlou
01 · Historical Records
Qingxu colored gate towers originated in the Tang dynasty, when the Qingxu county town was called Qingyuan County; transport was convenient, shops stood in rows, and the economy was prosperous. By the Song dynasty it had developed into the cypress-leaf gate tower: several door poles were set up in front of one's own doorway, cypress-leaf branches were tied on top, and couplets were written on the two sides; the form varied from year to year and was highly ornamental. Qingxu colored gate towers originated in the Tang dynasty, when the Qingxu county town was called Qingyuan County; with convenient transport, shops in rows and a thriving economy, merchants erected frames and hung colored decorations above their doorways to advertise their business, and the gate tower thereby became a common sight on the streets of Qingyuan. In the Song dynasty it evolved into the cypress-leaf gate tower, with door poles set up in front of the doorway, cypress-leaf branches tied on and couplets written on it; thereafter, through continuous embellishment by local merchants, the practices of twisting colored strips and painted decoration were added, forming the three successive gate-tower styles of cypress leaf, twisted color and painted decoration.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Qingxu colored gate towers are a comprehensive art combining folk ancient-architecture craft, folk fine art and folk handcraft techniques. "Lion dances and dragon lanterns, dry boats running; the colorful tower holds up the face of the street" is a folk proverb that has circulated for many years in Qingxu County, Shanxi Province, showing the considerable importance of Qingxu colored gate towers in the county's folk cultural activities over the years. At New Year and festival times, hoping that their shops would prosper in the coming year, that people and livestock would be safe, and that all evils would be driven away, people gathered cypress leaves from the nearby hills, tied them onto bamboo poles and wooden sticks, and planted them at the highest point of their rooftops so that all trades would thrive in the year to come. Later, through the improvements of many merchants, the form developed from the original cypress-leaf gate tower to the cypress-leaf colored gate tower, the twisted-color colored gate tower and the painted colored gate tower. The erection of Qingxu colored gate towers uses wooden poles, bamboo poles and wooden planks as a frame: first the door frame is set up, then the eaves are built out in layers, and finally it is decorated with colored silks, paper flowers, paintings and lamps; the process steps include material preparation, frame raising, lashing and decoration, and once completed the tower allows people and carts to pass through, serving the double purpose of offering blessings and attracting business.
The cypress-leaf gate
By the Song, poles set before the door were bound with cypress branches and flanked by couplets, changing shape year by year.
Three successive gate types
The form developed from cypress-leaf gates through twisted-colour gates to painted gates, uniting building craft, folk art and handicraft.
Cypress on the roof for good fortune
At festivals people gathered cypress from nearby hills, bound it to poles and set it on the highest roof point to pray for prosperity and safety.
Painted towers lining the street
A local proverb pairing lions, dragon lanterns and land boats with painted towers lining the street shows how central the gate is to Xiangyuan festivities.
Framing, binding and decorating
Built of timber, bamboo and boards, the gate rises from frame to layered eaves to silk, paper flowers, painting and lanterns.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The development of Qingxu colored gate towers is a record and expression of the folk culture of the Qingxu area, and a special way in which the people of Qingxu express their longing for a better life and offer blessings; it also reflects the growing prosperity of the local economy and trade. Qingxu colored gate towers are mainly popular in Qingxu County town and the surrounding townships of Shanxi Province, with the merchants and folk artisans of market towns such as Xugou, Dongyu and Wangda as the main bearers of transmission; the county culture and tourism development center is responsible for their protection and display, and at New Year and festivals the streets and lanes vie with one another to erect the towers.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Qingxu colored gate towers are the only style of gate-tower art of their kind in China; they occupy a rather prominent position among the gate-tower arts of the country, possess considerable historical, research and economic value, and need to be effectively protected.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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