History of the Great Wall at Linhai

Linhai Ancient Great Wall: Known as the "Jiangnan Badaling", the ancient Great Wall was built in Jin Dynasty and was the capital of Taizhou at that time.

The Great Wall winds along the Qingshan Mountains, with a total length of more than 6,000 meters, of which 5,000 meters remain. Starting from Lanrong Gate in the east, it meanders along the ridge of Beigu Mountain to Yanxia Pavilion, reaches the east bank of Lingjiang River among the steep rocks, and extends to the western foot of Jinshan Mountain. Sitting on the mountain, overlooking the river, it looks like a giant dragon, majestic

Spectacular, especially the steepest in the north, it is similar in shape and spirit to the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing, and is known as "Jiangnan Badaling"

All kinds of castles, city gates, and towers along the way are unique, making people feel how majestic it is and giving them endless strength and courage. At the same time, the ancient Great Wall has its own unique style, reflecting the delicate and feminine characteristics of Jiangnan, which adds to its charm.

Historical records show that the famous Ming Dynasty general Qi Jiguang stayed in Linhai for eight years and fought against Japanese pirates in nine battles and nine victories. During this period, Qi Jiguang and the prefect Tan Lun renovated the ancient Linhai city wall and creatively built a two-story hollow enemy tower, which remains today. Qi Jiguang and Tan were then transferred to Jizhou to build the Ming Great Wall near Beijing. They mobilized three thousand soldiers from the south of the Yangtze River and applied their experience in building a city in Linhai to the construction of the Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty. The hollow enemy tower of the Great Wall of the North originates from the sea. Therefore, the North and South Great Walls have many similarities in terms of specifications, shapes, and structures. They are actually the "teacher" and "model" for the Great Wall in the North, so they are called the Jiangnan Great Wall.

"Taizhou Prefecture Chronicles, Construction" records: In the early Tang Dynasty, the city was expanded to the southeastern plain and was "built by Yuchi Jingde of the Tang Dynasty". In the third year of Taiping and Xingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 978), King Qian Shu of Wuyue "returned the land to the Song Dynasty and destroyed the city walls in various places" as a sign of loyalty. Linhai Ancient City, one of the Thirteen Prefectures, is included in this list, but it was preserved because of the flood control function of the Lingjiang River section in the southwest. Precisely because the ancient city wall near the sea has the dual functions of defense and flood control, ancient military strategists entered the third stage of construction.

The ancient city of Linhai made great contributions to the anti-Japanese struggle in the Ming Dynasty. Qi Jiguang, a famous anti-Japanese general, spent eight years in Linhai. Together with Tan Lun, the prefect of Taizhou, he renovated the structure of Linhai's ancient city wall, made it taller and thicker, and creatively built thirteen two-story hollow enemy towers, which greatly enhanced its defensive capabilities. With the ancient city of Linhai as a stronghold, the Qi family army coordinated the defense of the coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang, and repeatedly defeated the Japanese pirates in nine battles and achieved nine victories. Later, due to the need for defense of the Northern Great Wall, the imperial court specially transferred Qi Jiguang and Tan Lun to Beijing and entrusted them with important tasks. When Qi Jiguang was the commander-in-chief of Jizhen, he applied his experience in building city defenses near the sea to the expansion and strengthening of the Great Wall in the north.

In the fifth year of Qingli (1045), Zhizhou Peng Siyong rebuilt the city wall. The structure, defense and flood control of the city wall built this time are more complete than the previous two; the northwest corner is winding on Beigu Mountain (Longgu Mountain), this section of the sub-city is completely connected to the big city, forming an inner embrace of the big city. Zicheng; its southwest sides are adjacent to the Lingjiang River. In order to reduce the impact of floods, the piers and abutments protruding outside the city wall were built with rounded corners (commonly known as horse faces) in the upstream direction of the river; the piers and abutments on Longgu Mountain were built into a two-story hollow enemy platform with The stairs are connected, and the upper level is a platform with a watchtower built on it. There are tooth-shaped crenels and shooting holes around the platform, which can serve the dual functions of command and defense; the lower level is an empty layer, which can garrison troops and store weapons. Su Mengling, who was responsible for building the city at that time, "New City Chronicles" contains the Huangyan County Magistrate's statement: "Although pottery (bricks) are solid, they are not as solid as stone."

In 1997, Linhai City invested nearly 4,000 yuan. million for construction and restoration. During the repairs, it was found that except for Hu Wenye, the acting prefect of the Qing Dynasty (1568) who "increased the height of some walls by three feet and merged the crenellations into three", the rest were remaining buildings from the Tang, Song and Ming Dynasties. During the archaeological survey of Xingshan Gate on the southern city wall, it was found that the cross-section of the city wall showed that the cultural layers of the four dynasties of Tang, Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties were very clear; in the Tang Dynasty, it was a mud and rammed earth wall, 3 meters high; in the Song Dynasty, it was a rammed earth wall in the Tang Dynasty; The wall was increased by 1 meter, and one-and-a-half-thick bricks were built inside and outside; a 1-meter-high stone retaining wall was built in front of the riverside section of the city; in the Ming Dynasty, the height was increased by 2 meters on the basis of the Song Dynasty. One and a half bricks thick were added inside and outside, and the joints were tied with strips of stone. In the Qing Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, the outside was slightly repaired and raised.

The walls in the southwest section are all about 7 meters high and 4.4 meters wide.

Going forward from Gu Jinglou is the steepest "Hundred Steps" section of the Jiangnan Great Wall. It is said that because the situation in the "Baibu Jun" area was too dangerous, General Wei Chigong of the Tang Dynasty commanded the army and the people to build the city here, and it was repeatedly built and destroyed. Just when he was at a loss what to do, it happened to be snowing heavily. When he got up early the next morning, he suddenly saw a sika deer running along the mountain on the snow, leaving footprints. General Yuchi had an idea and ordered his soldiers to follow the footsteps of the sika deer. The construction was indeed completed in one fell swoop, so Linhai is also known as "Lucheng".

The best route to visit Linhai Ancient City Wall is to start from the entrance of Donghu Beize. Going north along Donghu Road, the roadbed was originally the foundation of Dongcheng City. There is a square in Houhu, passing through the "Southeast of Xiongzhen" stone archway, and there are the "hundred-step steep" stone steps to climb the city, with a maximum of 198 steps. Climbing up it and returning to Gudong Lake, you will see vast expanse of flat waves and picturesque bridges and pavilions. In summer and autumn, the lake breeze blows in your face, making you feel refreshed. Looking around the building, you can see the scenery everywhere: to the east, there are rows of high-rise buildings, a new district atmosphere; to the south, you can see the old town, mostly ancient streets and ancient houses. To the north are mountains surrounded by white clouds, with flying green mountains and light mist and clouds; to the west, you can see the sky and the fairy water, facing the shining mountains and the moon in the southwest, and the Lingjiang River is connected to the East China Sea, which is very fascinating. With an open mind and a broad vision, turn to the west and walk around the city. There are lush pines and cypresses on both sides, thousands of green trees above and below, the battlements are sometimes flat and sometimes curved, and the mist is coming and going.

The East Lake is rectangular, with north and south. It is about 500 meters long and 150 meters wide from east to west. There are two long embankments in the lake. The east-west embankment divides the whole lake into two. The south is called front lake and the north is called back lake. There is a stone arch bridge at the east and west ends of the embankment across the lake bank. , a small island is built in the middle of the dam, called "Huanyue Island". "Huanyue Island" is located in the center of the lake. The island is planted with camphor, cypress, Wu, and osmanthus, with high shade and horizontal clouds, forming a green island running from north to south. The vertical embankment divides Houhu into East and West Houhu. There is also an island in the middle of the vertical embankment, called "Qiaoyun". There is another island in the lake 30 to 40 meters south of Huanyue Island, with a nine-curved stone bridge and handrails. Huanyuezhou is connected.

The Linhai Ancient City Wall is not only the core of the historical and cultural city, but also the most culturally significant tourist attraction in Taizhou. Most of the towering Great Wall stretches across the mountains in northern my country. It has stood for more than two thousand years. For thousands of years, our ancestors have built countless city defense facilities and military fortresses to protect the country and the people. The rich historical and cultural connotation constitutes the unique ancient city culture in China. Over the years, the remains are very rare, but the ancient city wall in Linhai, Zhejiang is one of the only remaining unique ancient city walls.

When Qi Jiguang was the commander-in-chief of Jizhen, he applied his experience in building city defenses near the sea to the expansion and strengthening of the Great Wall in the north. The Great Walls in Jizhen, Changzhen, Xuanfu, Datong, Shanxi and other towns now exist. They were all improved, built and strengthened according to his planning and design. In order to meet his needs for rebuilding the Northern Great Wall, three thousand "Jiangdong soldiers" who had participated in the reconstruction of the Linhai City Wall were specially selected to serve as foremen, supervisors and technical guidance.

Up to Baibujun, you will reach Baiyun Tower. Baiyun Tower is the highest point in the eastern section of the Great Wall in the south of the Yangtze River. The tower was named after the Baiyun Mountain at its feet. In the Song Dynasty, people also called it Baiyun Tower. , is the ruins of the Chenghuang Temple. Next to the ruins, there is an ancient camphor tree from the Sui Dynasty that is more than 1,300 years old. It is known as "the dead tree blooms in spring". Although the Sui camphor tree has broken branches, it is still growing on the new branches. The foliage is flourishing and the business is booming.

You can see the towers of Jinshan Mountain in the distance, and the Yuxiu Mountain of East Lake in the distance. It is said that the Taoist priest Hua Xuzi of the Western Han Dynasty, Huanghua Zhenren, once lived on this mountain. After refining alchemy and practicing Taoism, he attained the Tao and ascended to heaven. When Hua Xuzi was riding Hexian away, a gust of wind blew off his turban. The scarf floated down and turned into the twin peaks of Jin Mountain. From then on, the mountain was called "Jinzi Mountain". On a stone wall between the two peaks, there are still three words "Jinzi Department".

Going around the enemy tower and down the mountain, you will find the riverside city wall. Here, there were seven city gates in the past, and now there are four intact city gates and barbicans: Chaotian, Zhenning, Xingshan, and Jingyue, which are majestic and solemn with unique structures.

The Jiangnan Great Wall is still more beautiful than the ancient city near the sea. The Jiangnan Great Wall integrates Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism that match the ancient city, making the cultural connotation of the Jiangnan Great Wall richer.

Linhai Ancient Great Wall is a place where emotions are accumulated and people let go of all worries in life and fame and fortune. In front of him, there is nothing greater than making history. In his eyes, all the wealth and splendor are not as real as a brick.

The ancient city has a calm power that resists the glitz and turmoil of the world, extending its traditional context and historical scrolls. There is something profound, elegant and gentle about the ancient city. This thing is like the fragrance of wheat and the chaotic moonlight, permeating and lingering as if permeating the air, making it irresistible.

Standing on the ancient Great Wall near the sea, looking at the mountains and listening to Lin Tao. Standing in different positions, feeling the wind blowing from different directions, standing in different positions, watching the clouds coming and going on the mountain, you will get different rewards. For example, Qi Jiguang and the prefect Tan Lun were later transferred to the north to serve as officials. They transferred more than 3,000 migrant workers from Linhai and built the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, which was built in the same way as the Linhai Great Wall. Therefore, the shapes of the Great Wall in the south and the north are not much different, but their feelings are very different. The Great Wall in the north gives people a sense of roughness and heroism; while the Great Wall in the south, even though it is equally rough, gives people a graceful and elegant feeling because of the charm of the south.

The "Most True and Wonderful Way" written by Emperor Yongzheng in the royal book is particularly solemn among the stone walls of the green mountains. This Manchu emperor could never have imagined it. He gave the highest praise to the person who created that miracle. , but those who commented on him were turning the pages of history and watching the history he created with cold eyes.

The ancient cannon stood there quietly. Without the company of the high-spirited soldiers, there was only the sound of waves from the surrounding ancient trees, which seemed a bit lonely. The dark brown barrel has been waiting there unyieldingly for hundreds of years, seeming to have been watching foreign enemies. It is said that this is one of the thirteen two-story hollow enemy towers built by Qi Jiguang, a famous anti-Japanese general in the Ming Dynasty, during his eight years in Linhai, which greatly enhanced his defensive capabilities. Using the ancient city of Linhai as a stronghold, the Qi army defeated Japanese pirates in nine battles and nine victories.

Sitting on the beacon tower, leaning on the battlements and looking out, one can see the continuous Cangshan Mountains and the heavy autumn mood. A river quietly goes around the city and merges into the sea. The sea and sky are misty, and the mountains are clear and clear. I am admiring an ink painting.

The city wall, as a historical cultural relic, has completed its historical mission with the development of history, and the defensive function of the cold weapon era has long disappeared. During the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty for more than 200 years, the Great Wall was already regarded as a historical relic that "preserves the old traces as a majestic pass, but retains the shape of the majestic rivers and mountains". City walls are extremely large cultural relics. Many city walls are listed as cultural relics protection units at all levels, and some are even included in the World Heritage list. The city walls of many cities have played an important role in my country’s social development history, political economy, and social development for thousands of years. Scientific research such as military defense engineering technology is of great significance.

The towering Great Wall in the south of the Yangtze River has always maintained its own personality throughout its long history. This section of the ancient Great Wall is no longer a portrait of blue bricks. It has long been transformed into a symbol of the indomitable strength of the Chinese nation, and has been worshiped in the hearts of tens of thousands of people. Stepping on the weathered blue bricks, I seem to see the migrant workers who came from ancient times and left to build the Great Wall. There was an incredible look on their faces. They must not understand that they cried and shed blood to build the Great Wall. The completed Weiguo City Wall has now become a place of attraction for people to visit in their spare time. Those soldiers covered in dust would never have imagined that the small town they defended with their lives would become a place to talk about the past and present and touch history. The ancestors must not have imagined that this section of the ancient Great Wall, which was only more than 6,000 meters long, would inadvertently become a witness to history