Jinma-Biji Archways: Kunming's Twin Gates on Jinbi Road

The Jinma and Biji Archways are two painted timber gateways a few dozen metres apart on Jinbi Road in central Kunming. They are free, open at all hours, and take twenty minutes to see properly, so they belong on a city walk rather than a special trip. Come after dark if you want the lit-up postcard, or in daylight for the carving and paintwork. The eastern gate is Jinma (Golden Horse) and the western one Biji (Jade Rooster); each is about twelve metres high and eighteen wide, standing where Jinbi Road meets Sanshi Street. The Kunming travel guide puts them at the end of a first day that starts at Green Lake.

What the gates stand for

The archways were first put up in the Ming Xuande reign, in the early fifteenth century, on what was then the main approach to the city from the south. Caravans and traders heading in and out of Kunming passed beneath them, and the streets around became the commercial heart of the old town. Fire, war and road-building destroyed them more than once. The gates you see now are a modern reconstruction on the old site that keeps the twin layout and the old names.

The names come from two mountains facing each other across Dianchi. Jinma Mountain lies to the east of the city and Biji Mountain (the Western Hills) to the west, and Han-era legends told of a golden horse and a jade rooster that appeared there. The best-known story about the arches is "Jin Bi Jiao Hui", the meeting of gold and jade: at a rare alignment of setting sun and rising moon, the shadows of the two gates were said to stretch toward each other and touch in the middle of the street. Popular accounts put it at once in sixty years. Treat it as folklore. It does explain why Kunming built a pair and why the space between them matters as much as the gates.

Day or night

At night the gates are floodlit and the square between them fills with people strolling, taking photos and waiting for friends. "Meet under Jinma-Biji" is as clear an instruction in Kunming as a metro exit number. Blue hour, just after sunset, gives you lit paint against a still-blue sky. In daylight you can see the brackets, the carved lattice and the colours much more clearly, and the square is quieter on weekday mornings. Rain is no reason to stay away. Wet paving reflects the lights, and a noodle shop is never more than a few doors away while you wait for a shower to pass.

Tripods are unnecessary here and get in the way. Use the pedestrian crossings when you step back for a wider frame, since Jinbi Road traffic does not slow down for photographers.

Around the square

The archways are a starting point for a walk.

• East and West Temple Pagodas. A few minutes south, two brick pagodas first raised in the Nanzhao period stand among the shops: the East Pagoda on Shulin Street and the West Pagoda off Dongsi Street. They are the oldest structures in this part of the city and are easily combined with the gates.
• Nanping Street. The pedestrian shopping district is about 600 metres northeast, with department stores and chain cafes.
• Food. Small-pot rice noodles and crossing-the-bridge noodles are everywhere on the side streets. In July and August, wild mushroom season, eat mushrooms only at established restaurants. Flower cakes (rose-filled pastries) are the standard souvenir; buy them sealed if they have to survive a train ride.

Getting there

Kunming taxi drivers know the name instantly in Chinese, 金马碧鸡坊.

• Metro: Dongfeng Square station (Lines 2 and 3) is the practical choice, roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk south and west. Tangzixiang station on Line 2 is a similar distance.
• Bus: several routes stop at Jinmafang, about 180 metres from the gates. Routes change often, so check a map app for the current numbers.
• On foot from Green Lake: about 1.8 kilometres, 24 minutes, via Jinghong Street, Renmin Middle Road, Zhengyi Road and Sanshi Street.

Fitting it in

A comfortable first day in Kunming is Green Lake and the Yunnan Military Academy in the morning, lunch near Wenlin Street, the pagodas and Jinma-Biji in the late afternoon, and dinner around Jinbi Road as the lights come on. The gates also make an easy evening stop after a long day out at the Stone Forest or Dianchi Lake, because they are central and need no ticket.

If your hotel is on the far side of the city and you have only one evening, skip them before you skip the Western Hills or the Stone Forest. They are worth twenty minutes, not a cross-town taxi in rush hour.

Frequently asked questions

Are the Jinma-Biji Archways free?

Yes. They stand in an open public square with no gate or ticket.

Are these the original Ming gates?

No. The originals were destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current gates are a modern reconstruction on the historic site.

How long should I allow?

Twenty to thirty minutes for the gates and photos. Two hours if you add the East and West Temple Pagodas, some shopping and dinner nearby.

What is the best time to visit?

Just after sunset for the lighting, or a weekday morning if you want the carving without crowds.