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Paifang (Cantonese
Cantonese

Cantonese generally refers to people or things associated with a region around the Chinese province of Guangdong or its capital, Guangzhou.* Cantonese, a branch of the Chinese language family, spoken in Guangdong and neighboring provinces...
 transliteration
Transliteration

Transliteration is the practice of transcribing a word or text written in one writing system into another writing system or system of rules for such practice....
: paaifong), also called pailou (Cantonese transliteration: paailau), is a traditional Chinese
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
 architectural
Chinese architecture

Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of China architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details....
 form like an archway.

The word Pai-fang originally was a collective term used to describe the top two levels of administrative division and subdivisions of ancient Chinese city. The largest division within a city in ancient China was a Fang, equivalent to current day precinct
Precinct

A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it....
.






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Paifang (Cantonese
Cantonese

Cantonese generally refers to people or things associated with a region around the Chinese province of Guangdong or its capital, Guangzhou.* Cantonese, a branch of the Chinese language family, spoken in Guangdong and neighboring provinces...
 transliteration
Transliteration

Transliteration is the practice of transcribing a word or text written in one writing system into another writing system or system of rules for such practice....
: paaifong), also called pailou (Cantonese transliteration: paailau), is a traditional Chinese
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
 architectural
Chinese architecture

Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of China architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details....
 form like an archway.

The word Pai-fang originally was a collective term used to describe the top two levels of administrative division and subdivisions of ancient Chinese city. The largest division within a city in ancient China was a Fang, equivalent to current day precinct
Precinct

A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it....
. Each fang was enclosed by walls or fences, and the gates of these enclosure were shut and guraded every night. Each fang was further divided into several Plate or Pai, which is equivalent to current day (unincorporated) community. Each pai, in turn, contained an area including several hutong
Hutong

Hutongs are narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with Beijing, China.In Beijing, hutongs are alleys formed by lines of siheyuan, traditional courtyard residences....
s. This system of urban administrative division and subdivision reached an elaborate level during Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty

The Tang Dynasty was an Dynasties in Chinese history preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire....
, and was remained in the following dynasties. For example, during Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty , or Empire of the Great Ming , was the ruling Dynasties in Chinese history of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty....
, Beijing
Beijing

is a metropolis in northern China and the Capital of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the four municipality of China, which are equivalent to province in China's Political divisions of China....
 was divided into a total of 36 fangs. Originally, the word Paifang was used as a term to describe the gate of a fang and the marker for an entrance of a building complex or a town; but by the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty was a ruling Chinese dynasty in China between 960–1279 AD; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty....
 Paifang had evolved into a purely decorative monument. Paifang comes in a number of forms. One form involves placing wooden pillars onto stone bases, and bound together with wooden beams. This type of Paifang is always beautifully decorated, with the pillars usually painted in red, the beams decorated with intricate designs and Chinese calligraphy, and the roof covered with coloured tiles, complete with mythical beasts - just like a Chinese palace.

Another form of Paifang is in the form of true archways made of stone or bricks; the walls may be painted in white or red, or decorated with coloured tiles; the top of the archways are decorated like their wooden counterparts.

Yet another form of Paifang, built mainly on religious and burial grounds, consists of plain white stone pillars and beams, with neither roof tiles nor any coloured decoration, but feature elaborate carvings created by master masons.

Outside of China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, the Paifang has long been the symbol of Chinatown
Chinatown

A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of overseas Chinese residents, usually outside of Greater China. Chinatowns are present throughout the world, including those in East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, Australasia, and Europe....
s.

In the past
History of China

China civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River valley in the Neolithic era. The written history of China begins with the Shang Dynasty ....
, "Chastity Paifangs" were given to widow
Widow

A widow is a woman whose husband has died. A man whose wife has died is a widower. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or viduity....
s who remained unmarried till death
Death

Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that define a life organism. It refers to both a particular event and to the condition that results thereby....
, praising what was seen as loyalty to their deceased husbands.

See also

  • Chinatown
    Chinatown

    A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of overseas Chinese residents, usually outside of Greater China. Chinatowns are present throughout the world, including those in East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, Australasia, and Europe....
  • Chinese architecture
    Chinese architecture

    Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of China architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details....
  • Chinese culture
  • Torii
    Torii

    A is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entry to a Jinja , although it can be found at Buddhism in Japan temples as well.The basic structure of a torii is two columns called that are topped with a horizontal rail called the kasagi....
  • Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral, Macao
    Cathedral of Saint Paul in Macau

    The Ruins of St. Paul's refer to the fa?ade of what was originally the Cathedral of St. Paul, a 17th century Portuguese cathedral in Macau dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle ....
Image:Paifang Boston Chinatown 1.jpg|Paifang entrance to Chinatown in Boston, Massachusetts
Chinatown, Boston

The only historically Chinese American area in New England, Chinatown, Boston is located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, Massachusetts. Centered on Beach Street, the neighborhood borders Boston Common, Downtown Crossing, the South End, Boston, Massachusetts, and the Interstate 93/Massachusetts Turnpike....
 Image:chinatown.london.arp.500pix.jpg|One of the formal entrances to Chinatown
Chinatown

A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of overseas Chinese residents, usually outside of Greater China. Chinatowns are present throughout the world, including those in East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, Australasia, and Europe....
 in London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
 Image:Paifang.jpg|The Paifang in Chinatown in Liverpool
Liverpool

Liverpool [] is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a History of borough status in England and Wales in 1207 and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1880....
, reputedly the largest in the world outside of China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
.