THE paifang， a stone or wooden arch， is a unique element of ancient Chinese architecture. In feudal times， it was erected as a monument in memory of anyone - dead or alive - who had rendered meri-torious services or lived a life embodying exalted human vir-tues. Typically these were accomplished generals， scholars and administrators， and even widows who remained celibate in honor of their dead husband. Paifang were also built as ceremonial entranceways to sacred places such as temples and mausoleums， and finally served humble purpuses as road signs， where they dominated neighborhood entrances and in-dicated an area's name.