Friendship Archway, (sculpture).

Friendship Archway, (sculpture).

Liu, Alfred H., architect.

Shuwen, Hou, fabricator.

Beijing Ancient Architectural Construction Corporation, fabricator.

Shirley Contracting Corporation, contractor.

Friendship Archway, (sculpture).

Friendship Arch, (sculpture).

Chinatown Archway, (sculpture).

Chinatown Friendship Arch, (sculpture).

1984-1985. Dedicated Nov. 20, 1986.

Digital Reference:

Arch: steel, ceramic, marble, painted wood, painted metal or concrete, and gold leaf; Base: granite reinforced with metal straps.

Overall: approx. H. 47 ft. 7 in. x W. 75 ft. (128 tons).

(Front of south column base:) THIS FRIENDSHIP ARCHWAY WAS/ERECTED BY THE/DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA/AND THE/MUNICIPALITY OF BEIJING/1986/(signatures of Marion Barry, Jr. and Chen Xitong)/MARION BARRY, JR./MAYOR WASHINGTON, D.C./CHEN XITONG/MAYOR BEIJING MUNICIPAL/GOVERNMENT (Front of north column base contains the Chinese translation of the inscription on the south column base.) unsigned

The archway authentically replicates the design and ornamentation of the Chinese Qing Dynasty (1649-1911 AD). The archway is anchored on either side of H Street by two square bases from which red-painted metal, or concrete, columns extend vertically to support a horizontal section adorned with golden roofs and symbolic Chinese motifs. Across the center of the horizontal section is a marble panel containing the Chinese characters for "Chinatown" carved by an unidentified Chinese artist. This center panel is flanked by two side panels, each carved with a dragon. The archway contains 7,000 yellow glazed roof tiles, 35,000 twenty-three karat gold leaf pieces, 272 painted dragons, seven golden roofs, and numerous ceramic and carved wood animals. The archway is painted in a brilliant blend of purples, reds, blues, and greens, all considered symbolic colors.

Architecture -- Detail -- Arch

Architecture -- Detail -- Roof

Fantasy -- Dragon

Ethnic -- Chinese

Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington

Administered by District of Columbia, Office of Business and Economic Development, Washington, District of Columbia

Located Chinatown, 7th & H Streets, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia

The archway spans across H Street at the entrance to the Chinatown section of Washington, D.C. and is symbolic not only of the cultural and technological exchange between China and the U.S., but also the long friendship between the Chinese people and the people of the U.S. The one million dollar cost of the archway was shared by the governments of Washington, D.C. and Beijing.

The archway was designed by Washington architect, Alfred H. Liu and the Beijing Ancient Architectural Construction Corporation. The ornate motifs and seven golden roofs of the archway were fabricated in Beijing and then installed on the archway framework on site in Washington, D.C. Sixteen artisans from the Beijing Ancient Architectural Construction Corporation under the direction of Hou Shuwen came to Washington to carve, paint, and install the archway motifs and roofs. The framework of the archway was constructed by Shirley Contracting Corporation under the direction of the District of Columbia Department of Public Works.

IAS files contain a publication entitled "Asian Voice" published by the Asian Benevolent Corps in 1986 which describes every aspect of the archway in great detail and includes sketches as well as photographs taken during its creation. "Asian Voice" also includes a breakdown of the materials and notes that the columns are of concrete although the SOS! survey notes that the medium is metal. IAS files also contain newspaper articles from the Washington Post, Nov. 11, 1986, pg. C-1 and the Washington Times, Nov. 21, 1986, pg. D1.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1993.

Asian Benevolent Corps, "Asian Voice," Washington, DC: Asian Benevolent Corps, 1986.

Washington Post, Nov. 21, 1986, pg. C-1.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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