Ancient Jinshanwei City

Ancient Jinshanwei City

The Ancient Jinshanwei City is a cultural tourism attraction.

In the 19th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty (1386), Marquis Anqing Qiu Cheng summoned soldiers and civilians from Huzhou, Suzhou, Songjiang, and Jiaxing prefectures and guards to jointly construct the city. Initially built as an earthen fortress, it stood 2.8 zhang high, had a perimeter of 12 li and 75 zhang, and was surrounded by a moat 9 zhang wide (widened to 11 zhang during the Yongle era). In the 15th year of the Yongle reign (1417), the wall was rebuilt using brick structure, featuring four gate towers, one water gate, four corner towers, eight watchtowers, and 3,678 crenellations. In the 3rd year of the Chenghua reign (1467), it was further reconstructed with stone. Upon the establishment of the guard, the guard headquarters was set up right in the center of the city. In the 20th year of the Hongwu reign, a military training ground and hall were built two li east of the city gate, with command offices for the four battalions—Left, Right, Front, and Back—also located around the training hall. During the Yongle era, a Military Police Bureau was established within the guard city. In the Zhengtong era, a Marshal’s Office and the Censorate were also constructed.

In the 2nd year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1645), the Jinshan Camp was established. A garrison headquarters was set up at the north gate of the guard city. In the 4th year of the Yongzheng reign (1726), Jinshan County was established, with the county government building erected in the center of the guard city. During the Qianlong era, additional structures such as the Coastal Defense Magistrate’s Office, Central Army Command Headquarters, Armory, and Gunpowder Bureau were built, and the military training hall was reconstructed. In the 1st year of the Jiaqing reign (1796), after the county government relocated to Zhujing, the guard city gradually declined and its fortifications became increasingly dilapidated. In the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), the guard city suffered bombardment by Japanese forces. Today, only a few remnants of the city walls remain.

Jinshan Camp City, also known as Jinshan Camp, was built in the 3rd year of the Jingtai reign during the Ming Dynasty (1452) by Guard Commandant Hou Duan. It stood 2.4 zhang high, had a perimeter of 128 zhang, featured a dry gate on the west side with a drawbridge, and was surrounded by a 2-zhang-wide moat with a perimeter of 127 zhang. It was abandoned in the late Ming period. [See image]

[See image]

Hujia Harbor Fort City was located 30 li east of the guard city, south of Caojing Town. It was built in the 11th year of the Zhengtong reign (1446) and commanded by the garrison officer. Constructed with a brick wall, it stood 2.7 zhang high, was 1.8 zhang thick, and had a perimeter of 92 zhang. It featured dry gates and drawbridges on the east and west sides, a 4-zhang-wide moat, and a perimeter of 122 zhang. By the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, it was already called Hujia Factory and served as a stable for the Jinshan Camp’s military horses before being abandoned in the Guangxu era.

The Eastern and Western Xin Dun (watch platforms) were built during the Hongwu reign when the guard was established, on the coastal mudflats south of Caojing. In the 2nd year of the Hongzhi reign (1489), Guard Commandant Wei Wenbo moved them northward to the north of the Sea-Defending Dyke due to the collapse of the original sites into the sea. The two platforms were divided into eastern and western sections: the eastern platform stood 2.6 zhang high with a perimeter of 26.6 zhang, and the western platform stood 4.7 zhang high with a perimeter of 25.6 zhang. During the Qing Dynasty, they were under the jurisdiction of the Jinshan Camp. They were likely abandoned in the late Qing period.

Jinshan Dun was built during the Hongwu reign south of the Sea-Defending Dyke. Facing the Greater Jinshan Mountain to the south, it stood 4.1 zhang high and had a perimeter of 22.1 zhang. During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of the Jinshan Camp. It was likely abandoned in the late Qing period.

Qijia Dun was built in the 16th year of the Chenghua reign (1480). It was a brick structure standing 2.2 zhang high with a perimeter of 12.2 zhang, built atop a 1-zhang-high earthen base with a perimeter of 35 zhang. During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of the Jinshan Camp. It was likely abandoned in the late Guangxu era.

Xiaoguan Watch Platform was initially called Xiaoguan Dun in the early Ming period. Located outside the southern dyke of the guard city, it was built in the 19th year of the Hongwu reign (1386) as an earthen structure. In the 5th year of the Zhengtong reign (1440), it was rebuilt as a three-tiered brick structure: the upper tier stood 1.5 zhang high with a perimeter of 14 zhang, housed a signal tower, and was enclosed by a low wall; the middle tier stood 1 zhang high with a perimeter of 49 zhang; the lower tier was an earthen base standing 1 zhang high with a perimeter of 49.2 zhang. In the 7th year of the Zhengtong reign (1442), Governor Weng Shaozong renamed it “Xiaoguan Watch Platform.” From the Qianlong to the Guangxu eras of the Qing Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of the Jinshan Coastal Defense Sub-district. It was abandoned in the late Qing period.

Hengli Dun was built in the 19th year of the Hongwu reign (1386). It had a brick structure, stood 1.7 zhang high, and had a perimeter of 10.3 zhang, with a water channel on the west. During the Qing Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of the Jinshan Camp’s Coastal Defense Sub-district. It was abandoned in the late Guangxu era.

Gepeng Dun was built during the Hongwu reign. Located inside the Eastern Sea-Defending Dyke, it stood 4.9 zhang high and had a perimeter of 33.5 zhang. It was named after the mugwort that grew on the platform. From the Qianlong to the Guangxu eras of the Qing Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of the Jinshan Camp’s Coastal Defense Sub-district. It was abandoned in the late Qing period.

Other fort cities and platforms, including Caimiao Port Fort City, Yuanpu, and Hengli Dun in today’s Fengxian County; Jiangmen Camp City, Dushu Camp City, and New Temple and other platforms in Pinghu County, are omitted here.

Jinshanwei Town: Located on the beautiful northern shore of Hangzhou Bay in southwestern Shanghai, Jinshanwei Town covers a total area of 55 square kilometers, features flat terrain, and has a population of 49,000. It administers 17 administrative villages and 2 neighborhood committees. The town enjoys well-developed transportation: the Hu–Hang Railway’s Jinshan branch runs east–west, the Xin–Feng–Jin Expressway connects to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, and National Highway 5120 (Tongsan) and the Hu–Hang Highway duplication traverse the central hinterland. The town now has two dedicated seaport docks. With the continuous expansion of Shanghai’s Jinshanwei Second Industrial Zone and the planned completion of the nearby Hangzhou Bay Cross-Sea Bridge, the transportation network... More detailed information about Jinshanwei Town++