On the north bank of the Liao River in Jiangxi Province stands the Jimei Stone Archway. Rising more than ten meters into the air, it is the only four-sided stone archway in the province. Built entirely of granite and bluestone, the structure commands attention through its sheer scale and the precision of its masonry.

Construction began in the winter of 1599 under an imperial decree from the Ming Dynasty's Wanli Emperor. The monument honors the Hualin Hu family, specifically an official named Hu Shixiu, along with his Song dynasty ancestors. The name "Jimei" originates from an ancient text and translates to the continuation of ancestral virtues. For generations, the Hu family practiced extensive philanthropy. They donated grain during famines, financed local bridges and roads, and founded the Hualin Academy to educate future scholars.

To reflect this legacy, the builders designed a complex "four-pillar, twenty-roof" configuration. They carved the heavy stone to imitate traditional timber framing, joining the massive granite pillars with classic mortise and tenon techniques. Three tiers of interlocking bluestone brackets support twenty distinct eaves with upturned corners. The surface of the stone features dense relief carvings of dragons, phoenixes, and geometric patterns.

The archway also functions as a historical record. Embedded bluestone plaques display the imperial edict, the characters for "Jimei," and the names of the honored family members. On the southern face, a carved scene depicts three scholars from the Hualin Academy receiving news of their success in the imperial examinations. After more than four centuries of exposure to the elements, the archway remains structurally sound. The carvings are still sharp, preserving a physical record of a family's commitment to public service and education.