This pair of massive size wooden gates fully clothed in hand-forged iron work looks like it could stop a whole army from invasion! Made with a purpose of showing the importance of the compound or a location it tried to protect, this impressive pair of gates gave an impression to many who said that it reminded them of the Forbidden City. With the complexity and the amount of time it took to create handmade iron work like this one with great texture and beautiful detail which separates it from any other ones made without the real handwork, this pair of compound gates has a great story behind its work.

This pair of gates with the hand-beat and hand-forged iron work (including the many iron nails) is among disappearing arts and professions in modern China as few craftsmen can be found to perform this type of metal work any more, especially after the Cultural Revolution which destroyed many arts and training besides the evolution of modern life and demand. This work was said to have traditionally been performed in a highly heated environment while the pupil handed tools and learned by watching only from behind as the old master concentrated in the work with a highly heated temperature who could not split attention by talking. Hence, this work is said to have been taught in a non-verbal fashion and there is no written documents to guide the work.

This pair of gates was carefully designed with each door containing nine larger size iron nails painted in gilt on each iron strip or belt. It also contains nine horizontal strips or belts in between the top and the bottom belt which frame each door. The design matches a Chinese idiom: “nine by nine is supreme” which shows the status of these gates-they were not built for any ordinary building or dwelling. (There is also another catch for this). After all, the ancient Chinese wisdom embedded in the design of this pair of exceptional work shows the philosophy and cultural depth of Chinese art based in its respect for its long tradition.

Traditionally, this pair of compound gates would have been placed under a larger and possibly quite elaborately carved wooden or stone frame. The feet of the gates were placed on the indented circular carved holes on a pair of fairly large size carved stone bases with carved Fu-lions on top. Stone steps were created on both sides of the gates where one could step up to enter the opened gates and stepped down to a lower court yard area. These gates are estimated to be from the Qing Dynasty and well over 120-150 years old.

Dimensions for each gate approximately: 49” W x 4” D x 108” H

---