View source for Fortifications of Xi'an

{{Short description|Chinese city walls}}
{{good article}}
{{infobox historic building
|name = Fortifications of Xi'an<br />Xi'an City Wall
|native_name = 西安城墙
|native_name_lang = zh
|image = City wall of Xi'an 51550-Xian (27959363326).jpg
|caption = Xi'an City Wall
|location_country =[[China|People's Republic of China]]
|coordinates = {{coord|34.266|108.943|type:landmark_region:CN-61|display=inline,title}}
|embedded = {{designation list | embed=yes
   | designation1=WHS
   | designation1_offname=Xi'an City Wall
   | designation1_date = Tentative [[List of World Heritage Sites by year of inscription#5324|2008]] 
   | designation1_type = Cultural
   | designation1_criteria = iii, iv
   | designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5324/]
   | designation1_free1name = Region
   | designation1_free1value = Tentative [[List of World Heritage Sites in Asia|Asia-Pacific]]
}}
|size = {{convert|14|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|building_type = Fortification
}}
The '''fortifications of Xi'an''' ({{zh|c=西安城墙}}), also known as '''Xi'an City Wall''', in [[Xi'an]], represent one of the oldest, largest and best preserved [[Chinese city wall]]s. It was built under the rule of the [[Hongwu Emperor]] Zhu Yuanzhang as a military defense system. It exhibits the "complete features of the rampart architecture of feudal society".<ref name=Heritage>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5324/|title=City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties Description|access-date=15 November 2015|publisher=UNESCO Organization}}</ref> It has been refurbished many times since it was built in the 14th century, thrice at intervals of about 200 years in the later half of the 1500s and 1700s, and in recent years in 1983. The wall encloses an area of about {{convert|14|km2|mi2}}.

The  Xi'an City Wall is on the tentative list of [[UNESCO]]'s [[List of World Heritage Sites|World Heritage Site]] under the title "City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties". Since 2008, it is also on the list of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the [[People's Republic of China]]. Since March 1961, the Xi'an City Wall is a heritage National Historical and Cultural Unit.

==Location==
Xi'an City Wall is located in the urban district of [[Xi'an City]], which at one time was an imperial city during the periods of the [[Sui dynasty|Sui]] and [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] dynasties.<ref name=Heritage/> It is situated at the end of the ancient [[Silk Road]].<ref name=Planet>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/shaanxi-shanxi/xian|title=Introducing X'Oan|access-date=15 November 2015|publisher=Lonely Planet}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Woman washing clothes in a moat, Xian.JPG|200px|thumb|City Moat of Xi'an]]
Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the [[Ming dynasty]] (1368–1644), was advised by Zhu Sheng, a sage, to build a fortified high wall around the city, create storage facilities for food and then establish his empire by unifying all the other states. Following the hermit's advice, Zhu established the Ming dynasty, and then built a highly fortified wall over a previously existing palace wall of the Tang dynasty (618–907). He started building the Xi'an City Wall,<ref name=City>{{Cite web|url=http://en1.xian-tourism.com/xiantraveldetail.asp?listID=358|title=Xian City Wall|access-date=15 November 2015|publisher=Official web site of The Tourism administration of Xi'an|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055424/http://en1.xian-tourism.com/xiantraveldetail.asp?listID=358|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> as the capital of northwestern [[Shaanxi Province]]<ref name=Review>{{cite book|title=Beijing Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KP8QAQAAMAAJ|year=2008|publisher=Beijing Review}}</ref> in 1370.{{Sfn|Lynn2013|p=123}} He incorporated the ancient fortified embankments built by the Sui and Tang dynasties by including them in the wall's western and southern parts, enlarging the eastern and northern parts. The edifice was built over an eight-year period and was well maintained during both the Ming dynasty, and the [[Qing dynasty]], which followed.<ref name=Heritage/>

The wall was initially built solely from tamped earth. During the [[Longqing Emperor]]'s period (1568) the wall was strengthened by laying blue bricks on the top and exterior faces of the earthen walls. During the reign of [[Qianlong Emperor|Qianlong]] of the Qing dynasty (1781), the wall was enlarged; drainage features, [[crenel]]s and other modifications were made; and the structure as it is now seen came into existence.<ref name=Heritage/> By the end of the Qing dynasty rule, the structure had begun to deteriorate. In a limited degree the [[Republic of China (1912–49)|Republican Authorities]] carried out maintenance of the wall, which was in a poor state. In the first decade of the 20th century, the wall's defense system was considered to be of strategic importance, even though demolishing of similar walls in other regions of the country was undertaken following the [[Xinhai Revolution|1911 Revolution]]. In 1926, the wall was attacked with bombs by enemy forces resulting in serious structural damage, but the city within the wall was not affected.{{Sfn|So|Zelin|2013|pp=233–34}} During the [[Second World War]], when the [[Japan]]ese carried out air bombings from 1937 to 1940, the residents built around 1,000 bunkers, as anti-aircraft shelters within the wide base (thickness of more than {{Convert|15|m}}) of the wall.{{Sfn|So|Zelin|2013|p=234}} A few escape openings were also made through the wall as passageways. Even later, new gates to allow traffic through the Xi'an Wall were constructed during the Republican rule.{{Sfn|So|Zelin|2013|pp=233–34}}

According to the Shenboo Atlas of 1933, in the 1930s most people lived within the perimeter of the Xi'an Wall but still there were a lot of unoccupied open areas. Among the visitors who came to see the Xi'an Wall were American captain (later general) [[Joseph Stilwell|Stilwell]] in 1922 and the Czech [[sinologist]] [[Jaroslav Průšek]] (1906–1980) in 1933.{{Sfn|So|Zelin|2013|pp=233–34}} In 1983, the administration of the Xi'an municipality carried out more renovations and additions to the wall. At that time, the Yangmacheng tower, the Zhalou sluice tower, the Kuixinglou dipper tower, the Jiaolou corner tower and the Dilou defense tower were all refurbished; the crumbling parts of the rampart were changed into gates; and the moat was restored. In May 2005, all of Xi'an's ramparts were inter-connected.<ref name=Heritage>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5324/|title=City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties Description|access-date=15 November 2015|publisher=UNESCO Organization}}</ref>

The  Xi'an City Wall was proposed as a [[UNESCO]] World Heritage Site by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the [[People's Republic of China]] in 2008. UNESCO included the site in the tentative [[List of World Heritage Sites]] under the title "City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties" as a cultural heritage designee under Criterion iii & iv.<ref name=Heritage/> In March 1961, the Xi'an City Wall was fully approved as a heritage site as a National Historical and Cultural Town.<ref name=Heritage/><ref name=wenwu/>

==Features==
[[File:1 xian city wall 2011.jpg|right|thumb|700px|The Xi'an City Wall]]
The Xi'an Wall is rectangular in shape and has a total length of {{Convert|14| km}}, with almost all stretches subjected to some kind of restoration or rebuilding. Along the top of the wall is a walkway, which would typically take four hours to cover.<ref name=Lonely>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/shaanxi-shanxi/xian/sights/historic/xian-city-walls|title=Xī'ān City Walls|access-date=15 November 2015|publisher=Lonely Planet }}</ref> It is built in the [[Chinese architecture]] style.<ref name=Heritage/> As a defense fortification, it was constructed with a [[moat]], [[drawbridge]]s, watch towers, corner towers, parapet walls and gate towers. The wall is {{Convert|12| m}} in height with a width of {{Convert|12|-|14| m}} at the top and base width of {{Convert|15|-|18| m}}. Ramparts are built at intervals of {{Convert|120| m}}, projecting from the main wall. There are [[parapet]]s on the outer side of the wall, built with 5,984 crenels, which form "altogether protruding ramparts". There are four watch towers, located at the corners and the moat that surrounds the wall has a width of {{Convert|18| m}} and depth of {{Convert|6| m}}.{{Sfn|Bushell|2012|p=33-36}} The area within the wall is about {{convert|36|km2|mi2}}, enclosing the small area of {{convert|14|km2|mi2}} occupied by the city.<ref>[http://heritage-key.com/site/xian-city-wall Xi'an City Wall. Heritage Key. University of Maine at Farmington] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003135853/http://heritage-key.com/site/xian-city-wall |date=2009-10-03 }}</ref>

{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 =  XiAn_CityWall_SouthGate3.jpg 
| width1 = 175
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 =  Xi'an - City wall - 006.jpg 
| width2 = 175
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = ''Left'': A South Gate [[barbican]] entrance of Xi'an ''Right'':  Another view of Xi'an City Wall
}}

The southern embrasured watchtower constructed in 1378, was destroyed by fire in 1926<ref name=wenwu>{{cite web |title=Shaanxi Top 10 events of cultural heritage in 2014 |url=http://www.wenwu.gov.cn/2013ywb/contents/776/40133.html |website=Shaanxi Provincial Bureau of Cultural Heritage |access-date=27 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002174855/http://www.wenwu.gov.cn/2013ywb/contents/776/40133.html |archive-date=2 October 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> during the [[Chinese Civil War|civil war of 1926]], and was restored in September 2014. This was done after a careful historical review of documents related to the historical features that existed before it was damaged. The other three watchtowers forming the northern, eastern and western gates of the wall were also examined during the planning phase of the modifications done for the South Tower. They were modified, without affecting the integrity of the wall, by an encompassing hall offering protection to the structures by using steel, wood work and the ancient-type tiles and bricks structure.<ref name=wenwu/> Major gates have ramp access except the South Gate which has entry outside the walls.<ref name=Lonely/>

There is an "Archery Tower", which provides security to one of the four gates of the Xi'an wall. Created as a large trap-like chamber, capped by a tower filled with windows, it gave an advantageous position for archers to shoot arrows (in the initial years of building the wall) and later cannonballs at the opposing revolutionary forces. In the event that the enemy was able to breach the walls through the main gate they would become trapped in the small chamber that faced yet another gate and thus be easy targets for the defending troops.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hua.umf.maine.edu/China/Xian/pages/014_Xian_wall.html|title=Xi'an City Wall|access-date=15 November 2015|publisher=China Bibliography – Hua Umf Maine|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117014216/http://hua.umf.maine.edu/China/Xian/pages/014_Xian_wall.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last= Lynn |first=Anne Wien |title=All Things Chorus|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uFKOLVUQXp4C&pg=PT123|year=2013|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=978-1-4759-5947-5}}
*{{cite book|last= Bushell|first=Stephen W. |title=Chinese Art|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O2iU0EJGudQC&pg=PA33|year=2012|publisher=Parkstone International|isbn=978-1-78042-924-3}}
*{{cite book|last1= So |first1= Billy K.L.|last2= Zelin
|first2= Madeleine |title=New Narratives of Urban Space in Republican Chinese Cities: Emerging Social, Legal and Governance Orders|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c3CMCoAnQIIC&pg=PA233|year=2013|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-24991-2|pages=233–34}}

{{Xi'an}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Xian City Wall}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 14th century]]
[[Category:City walls in China]]
[[Category:Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Shaanxi]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Xi'an]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Xi'an]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in China]]