Zhonghua Gate, Nanjing

The Gate of China, Zhonghua Gate or Zhonghuamen in Chinese, is the southern gate of Nanjing city. It is the greatest ancient city gate in China and the city gate with the most complex structure in the world.

History

Explanatory plaque affixed to the wall. Here follows the exact transcript:

Zhong Hua Gate

The Nanjing city wall of Ming Dynasty was built by the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang from 1360 to 1386 according to the suggestion “building high wall” by Zhu Sheng. In 1368, When Zhu Yuanzhang became the emperor and made Nanjing its capital. The city wall included the southern and western section of the old wall of southern Tang Dynasty and the eastern and northern walls built newly. The perimeter of the city wall was 33.676 kilometres. It was 14 – 21 m high and 14.5 m thick at its foundation and 4.9m at its top. It had 13 gates. It was the biggest city of our country for the vast scale and great of the engineering project.

Zhonghua Gate Castle called Jubao Gate in Ming Dynasty and given the present name in 1931, was reconstructed on the site of the south gate of the southern Tang capital city. It was the biggest gate of Nanjing city. It was made of huge strip stones 0.8 – 1.39m long, 0.7m wide and 0.26-0.35 thick and large Chinese brick 0.4m long 0.2m wide and 0.1m thick. Its length from the east to the west was 118.5m. from the south to the north was 128m. It was 20.45m high. The total area enclosed was 15 168 square meters. Three Wengcheng were connected by four arched gates each of which was equipped with a Qianjingzha (a heavy iron gate) which can be opened up and down as well as a pair of wooden doors. The Toudaomen (the first gate) consisted of 3 steps. At the top step was used to be a wooden building to defend against the enemy. The middle step was built of brick and stone. It was 65.15m long, 47.20m wide and 9.00m high. In the north section of it were constructed 7 soldier staying holes. In the middle of the lower step was constructed an arched gate leading to Wengcheng. It was 52.60m long, 5.35m wide and 8.7m high. At the north section of it were built 3 soldier staying holes. Erdaomen (the second gate) was 16.14m away from Toudaomen. Its hole was 8.20m long, 4.97m wide and 8.10m high. The hole of Sandaomen (the third gate) 15.18m away from Erdaomen was 8.32m long, 4.82m wide and 8.1m high. 19.3m away from Sandaomen was Sidaomen (the forth gate). Its hole was 8.8m long, 4.8m wide and 8.1m high. At the outerside of the east and west of WengCheng were constructed 14 soldier staying holes (7 facing to the east 7 facing to the west). There are 27 soldier staying holes altogether in all the WengCheng and two paved patches from where soldiers can get up the top of the castle by horse.

ZhongHua gate has weathered wind and rain for 600 years. It still holds its original state except for the wooden structure had been destroyed and some features on the wall constructed of sticks and stones. It is rare in the world for its vast scale and unsophisticated style.

Considering from the construction, it is a great engineering project of complex and intricate design and occupies an important place in the wall construction history in our country. Considering from the military, the engineering project is constructed firmly and is good for the military operation and a valuable sample for the study of our military history. So it was listed on the cultural and scenic spots under careful protection by Jiang Su government in 1957 and the state council in 1988.

History

See also