Eastern Gate of Qin

Eastern Gate of Qin

Haizhou is the cradle of Lianyungang City. During the Qin and Han dynasties, it was called Quxian County, and in the seventh year of the Wuding era of the Eastern Wei Dynasty (512 AD), it was first named Haizhou. Since the Qin and Han periods, it has always been the political, economic, and cultural center of the Hai, Gan, Shu, and Guan regions and even a broader surrounding area. The ancient Haizhou was economically prosperous, bustling with commerce, blessed with beautiful scenery, and home to numerous scenic spots, and was known as the “Mighty Town at the Mouth of the Huai River” and the “Famed Prefecture of the East Sea.”

The ancient city of Haizhou was first built in the eleventh year of the Tianjian era during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty. In the sixteenth year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty, the city walls were expanded, stretching nine li and one hundred thirty paces in total length, standing two zhang and five chi in height. The city had four gates: the eastern “Zhenhai Gate,” the western “Tonghuai Gate,” the southern “Quyang Gate,” and the northern “Linhong Gate.” The current ancient city was planned and reconstructed on the original site. Planning began in 1987, with formal implementation in 1991. To date, the restoration and reconstruction of the ancient-style streets along the defined area have been largely completed. A total of 72,000 square meters of old housing has been demolished, and 170,000 square meters of Ming and Qing-style ancient-style architecture have been constructed. Eight ancient-style streets have been completed, largely restoring the original appearance of the ancient city. Along with the ancient-style reconstruction, a number of scenic spots and historical sites have also been restored and rebuilt, such as the Bell and Drum Tower, a large ancient memorial archway, the city sculpture “Eastern Gate of Qin,” Quyang Gate and its square, Baizi An, Guanyin An, and Bixia Temple. Supporting infrastructure such as Xingfu South Road, Zhongda Street, West Da Street, West Shang Road, and Nanbei Da Street has also been developed, enhancing the service functions of the urban area.