Gao Yi Watch Tower (Gaoyique) A cultural relic under state-level protection, the watch towers of Gao Yi, the governor of Yizhou and his little brother Gao Shi in the east Han Dynasty are the most well-preserved and the finest stone watch toweres in Sichuan Province. Located in the Hanbei Village in YaoqiaoTown, Ya’an City, it was built in the 14th year of Jian’an in east Han Dynasty(209). The two watch towers are situated separately with a distance of 13.6m from each other. There are Gaojun Song Stele and huge stone to exorcise evil spirits between the two watch towers. The northern walls of the two watch towers are both decorated with intaglioed posies. The watch tower in west is a wood-like building with double eave roof and five ridges, mainly built with laying red quartz sandstones. At the corner, a beast was carved at each support bracket, called Dou-gong. A Taotie (a mythical ferocious animal in Chinese legend) was carved at the hoarstones in south and north. At the upper floor, there are carvings about noblemen’ life including their going on a journey, riding, having banquets and other legendary stories including Zhang Liang beating First Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty cutting a snake, Ji Gui hanging the sword and Shi Kuang Drumming etc. In the middle, there are vivid carvings of different figures including fox with nine tails, horse with three feet, Zhuque (a legendary bird). The two watch towers provide valuable materials for the research of Chinese traditional architecture, plastic art and earthquake history. |