Heming Tower

Heming Tower

Located within Chuansha Park, it was completed and opened to the public in June 1993 as a replica of Wuhan’s Yellow Crane Tower. The tower has five tiers and seven stories, stands 54 meters tall, and covers a total area of 4,200 square meters. Heming Tower is a symbol of Chuansha’s rapid development after embracing reform and opening-up.

In 1991, during the development of the eastern section of Chuansha Park on the former site of the children's playground, Heming Tower was constructed in the style of Wuhan’s Yellow Crane Tower. The project commenced in July 1991 and was completed in June 1993, opening to visitors. It is the largest single ancient-style building within Chuansha County. The tower features five tiers and seven stories, is 54 meters high, and has a construction area of 4,200 square meters. Its roof is covered with glazed tiles, and it stands on a jade-like stone platform. The painted beams and corridors connect 80 pillars, with upturned eaves adorned with 60 golden bells, making it a magnificent and imposing structure. The name “Heming” (Song of the Crane) is taken from the Book of Songs · Minor Odes · The Cry of the Crane: “The crane cries in the wilds; / Its cry reaches to the skies.” Gu Bingquan wrote an essay titled “Record of Heming Tower,” which was engraved on a stele and placed in the ground-floor hall. The inscription reads:

Record of Heming Tower

By Gu Bingquan

Seven years after the establishment of Chuansha Park, the decision was made to construct Heming Tower. With the development of Pudong, there were thousands of tasks that Chuansha needed to undertake to further enrich and enhance itself. The construction of this tower was one of them. Chuansha has had a walled city since the 36th year of the Jiajing reign in the Ming Dynasty; it had a dedicated official since the 24th year of the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty, when the post of Coastal Defense and Qing Army Assistant Magistrate was established; and its boundaries were defined starting from the 15th year of the Jiaqing reign when the Civil Affairs Assistant Magistrate was appointed. In the first year of the Republic of China, the district was upgraded to a county. Initially, it served as a strategic coastal defense location, but its saline-alkali lands did not see much economic development. Even after Shanghai became a treaty port, it could not keep pace with Puxi. A local elder, Huang Yanpei, once said: “Chuansha, located by the sea, enjoys favorable timing, geographical advantages, and abundant human and material resources, none of which are inferior to others.” By the 40th year of the founding of New China, through the collective wisdom and effort of the entire county, it suddenly rose to become one of the nation’s strong counties. Now, at this time of great opportunity, with the development of Pudong, Chuansha will be incorporated into the new district and will embark on ambitious plans anew; the construction of this tower serves as a witness to history. Chuansha’s construction industry is renowned both domestically and internationally, with a reputation that extends overseas. The design and construction of this tower have been successfully accomplished, all thanks to the wisdom and strength of the people of Chuansha. Its shape and scale resemble those of the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang, but the detailed craftsmanship has been further refined, making it a uniquely outstanding architectural work. Shanghai is the homeland of the crane, as clearly recorded in Shen Kuo’s Dream Pool Essays. The name of the tower is derived from the Book of Songs: “The crane cries in the wilds; / Its cry reaches to the skies.” The crane is a symbol of good fortune. The Han scholars of Huainan’s Eight Masters wrote in The Crane Appraisal: “It is the leader of feathered creatures, the noble steed of immortals.” The crane is also an embodiment of striving forward. The Mozi text states: “Though it cries night after night until its mouth is parched, no one listens. Though the crane cries at night, it stirs the world—truly, mere words bring little benefit, but only hard work can revitalize a nation.” Our Chuansha, by the sea, boasts picturesque scenery, and the “Sunrise over Sea and Sky” is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Shanghai. During the Qianlong era, Li Xingnan wrote in his Bamboo Branch Song: “At dawn just past the fifth watch, the sun rises red, / Its dazzling glow startles the eye. / In moments it climbs high, / Clearly hanging in the azure sky like a bell.” This describes the scene of watching the sunrise from the seawall in those days. Today, climbing the tower with companions, one gazes out beyond Wusongkou to see ships stretching for miles, speeding across the waves, weaving through the waters—this is the marvelous sight of today’s eastern river region, the majestic spirit of the seaport.

Address: No. 400 Nanqiao Road, Chuansha Town, Pudong, Shanghai

Tel: 021-58926539 Transportation: Vehicles from Shenhua, Shangchuan Line, Shenchuan Line, Xuchuan Line

Shanghai Pudong New Area