The Ch’ing Chen archway, because of its connection with the synagogue, is of great importance.…
The founding of the religion and the establishment of the synagogue also had its origin.…
Adam, the first ancestor of our religion, transmitted the religion to Noah, who in turn transmitted it to Abraham (Lo-han), and thus the religion began.
The Scriptures have been propagated in accordance with the principles (tao) of both Heaven and Humanity, and in harmony with the teachings (li) of Confucius and Mencius.
In obedience to command they came from T’ien-chu in the Han Dynasty to China (Chung Hua); and in the Lung Hsing period (1163) of the Sung Dynasty they established the synagogue at Pien.
Levi (Li-wei), the Wu-ssu-ta, was in charge of the religion; the Yen-tu-la erected the foundation and roughly built the synagogue and the courtyards. There were then 73 clans (hsing), more than 500 families (chia) altogether. The religion (taught them) to venerate August Heaven, to reverence the Scriptures, and to exercise frugality in the use of things, this is to worship….
In the Yuan Dynasty, in the period of Chih Yuan (Kublai — 1264), the Wu-su-ta rebuilt the synagogue, and the whole establishment again became new.
In the first year of Kao T’ai Tsu (1368) of the Ming Dynasty, (the members of the religion) were all given land.
Chou Ting Wang gave orders for the offering of incense and the rebuilding (of the synagogue); then in this same time of Yung Lo, Yen Ch’eng … grandson (descendant) of the (?) generation, the merits of whom were memorialized to the throne, (was honoured) in having conferred on him by the Emperor the surname Zhao….
… followed by the reverential presentation of the Scriptures.
In the middle of the Cheng T’ung period (1436–1450), the synagogue again being in a condition of decay, Li Jung seeing the dilapidation, contributed funds to build the Front Hall (Ch’ien Tien) in a grand and attractive style.
In the middle of the Ch’eng Hua period (1465–1488), Kao Chien and other energetically built the Rear Hall (Hou Tien), and they planned and designed its height and depth, and also the matter of its gilding and decoration, as well as the building of a corridor connecting it with the Front Hall.
Both the Front Hall and the Rear Hall were now completed, but without the Scriptures how could worship be performed?
In the time of T’ien Shun (1461), Chao Ying reverently brought a roll of the Scriptures from Ning-po to the synagogue at Pien, and in this way the Scriptures were handed on.
To possess the Scriptures at this time was like to possessing the source of a stream.
Quite unexpectedly at the end of the Ming Dynasty, in the ninth month of the jen mu year (October 1642), the dikes of the (Yellow) River were broken, and the city and the synagogue were submerged. The synagogue being submerged, the Scriptures drifted on the face of the waters. Kao Hsien (Hsuan), a member of the religion, and a literary graduate of Kung-shih grade, on the orders of his father entered the synagogue and recovered some of the Scriptures. He went and returned several times, because even though the members were homeless and refugees yet never for a single moment of each day could they forget their Scriptures.
When our Ta Ch’ing Dynasty had become firmly established, Lieutenant-Colonel (Chao) Ch’eng-chi, who was on active service at Ku-yuan (Shansi), took up duties as major under the military secretary of the Ta-liang Circuit (Tao), and brought his troops with him in order to protect Pien.
On several occasions he asked the members of the religion to resume their occupations, and fearing that the synagogue might be destroyed and the religion be dispersed (san), he built surrounding walls, and he (and his troops) remained to protect the synagogue. Thus the Front and Back Halls were ultimately completed.
Looking back from the present to the past, we see that the one who inaugurated (the synagogue) was our Yen-tu-la, the Chin-yi Kung (Gentleman with the honour of the Embroidered Robe); the one also who preserved what we now have was our Lieutenant-Colonel (Chao) Ch’eng-chi.
The reason that the religion made progress was due not to human effort, but to the protection of Heaven.
The members of the religion who returned to Pien to resume their occupations increased daily, and they were able daily to observe their old-time ordinances. It was due to the merit and virtue of these two men that such was possible.
The seven clans after public discussion raised fund to build the Hall of Perfect Purity (Chih Ch’ing Tien). Moreover, the addition of the Hall of the Holy Patriarchs (Sheng Tsu Tien), together with all the work of restoration of the gateways and their walls, were made possible through funds contributed by the Kao clan.
But the Rear Hall area was extensive and levelled to the ground, and human resources were already at an end.
Our State Counsellor, Chao Ying-ch’eng, a third degree scholar (shin shih) of the beginning of the Ch’ing Dynasty (1645), Senior Secretary of the Board of Punishments, and Military Commandant of the Chekiang-Fukien circuit, (on his return home on a mourning furlough) visited the synagogue and was deeply grieved (at what he saw).
He contributed a large sum of money (ch’ien chin) and was solely responsible for the building of the Rear hall.
It was glorious and magnificent, and now they were able, in compliance with the Scriptures, daily to perform the acts of worship in the ancestral hall.
They honour and reverence (the Scriptures) as in former times, for the religion having its source (in unbroken sequence) and its Scriptures being preserved, it is impossible that the merits of these men should be blotted out.
The two halls, Front and Rear, which (were built) through contributions from followers of the religion, once more became radiant with gold and jade, and far more glorious than in former times.
The two porches had halls for chanting the Scriptures and for lecturing…
…all the clans completed….
The steps of the halls were lofty and orderly, the cypress trees were thick and the pines flourishing, greatly manifesting an atmosphere of purity and peace. It had become a very wonderful spot in the garden of Liang (K’ai-feng).
But the Ch’ing Chen archway which is before the synagogue is also called the Chao Clan archway.
Who was not anxious for its completion?
Blessing upon the Holy Son of Heaven (who is the subject of) our praise and prayer, because of his wide benevolence and merciful love.
We should not shrink from recognizing these merits, in order to encourage this kind of effort.
Sending the elder sons (Chao) Yuan-min and (Chao) Yuan-chien, and the grandsons (Chao) Wen-lung and (Chao) Wen-feng, day and night….
… Exhausting the sole effort of one man for the purpose of strengthening forever (ch’ien ch’iu — thousand autumns) ….
… foundations, halls, buildings, family shrines ….
From our first ancestor ….
… fathers, sons and brothers together maintained it to the present. From the West there came a genius (chung hsiu), which seems to imply that the way of Heaven ….
… the sons and grandsons of the propagators of the religion hand it down forever and ever.
… without doubt from now on ….
… is it only in the matter of building the archway?
The archway is completed and the synagogue is repaired ….
… who would not be willing to do the same sort of thing?
This piece of work has begun in the seventh month of the mou wu year of K’ang Hsi (1678), and was completed in the third month of the chi wei year of K’ang Hsi (1679).
Kun (?) the unpolished (pu wen), after carefully bowing his head and washing his hands, roughly writes this record of the beginning and end (of the construction of the archway).
The Wen Lin Lang (title accorded to officials of the first degree of the seventh rank) by Imperial preferment, holding the post of magistrate (chih hsien) at Yi-liang hsien, of Yunnan Fu, Yunnan Province, and admitted one grade higher: Chao Ying-tou, the Builder.
Chao Ying-kun, the Composer.
At present on leave, the Board of Works … the subprefect: Chao Yuan-feng, the Supervisor.
… the Confucian scholar: Chao Yun-ch’eng….
In the time of Ta Ch’ing K’ang Hsi, the eighteenth year (1679), the third spring month, was this stone set up on a fortunate day.
Sone mason (shih chiang) … Stone (mason)…
…? Li-feng….
Blacksmith (t’ieh chiang)…
The designer (hua chiang): Chang Wen-te.
The stone cutter (shish chiang): Han Shang-wu, Ch’eng Te-yin, carved the stone.
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