Nanjing Yifeng Gate

Nanjing Yifeng Gate

Nanjing Yifeng Gate

Nanjing Yifeng Gate is located in the northern part of Nanjing city, facing west from the east. It is now known as “Xingzhong Gate.” Situated between the southern foothills of Mount Lulong (i.e., Lion Mountain) and Xiuqiu Mountain, it stands back-to-back with Zhongfu Gate, with Yijiang Gate to the south, which was opened during the Republican era.

The gate was built in the early years of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty and is one of the thirteen great gates of Ming Nanjing. Legend has it that the area at the foot of Mount Lulong had a geomantically auspicious landform symbolizing the harmony of a dragon and phoenix, hence the construction of two city gates: Zhongfu (facing east) and Yifeng (facing west). After the Ming Emperor Chengzu (Zhu Di) moved the capital to Beijing, both Yifeng and Zhongfu Gates were sealed off for nearly 200 years. It wasn’t until the 16th year of the Shunzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty (1659) that Liang Huafeng unexpectedly reopened Yifeng Gate to break the siege laid by Zheng Chenggong, the famed Southern Ming general resisting the Qing, leading to a major defeat of Zheng’s forces.

Historical records indicate that the Taiping Army breached Nanjing’s city walls by digging tunnels near Yifeng Gate and successfully detonated explosives to destroy the wall and enter the city. In the late Qing period, Zhang Zhidong oversaw the construction of the “Jiangning Road,” centered around the governor's office, which extended northward out of the city via Yifeng Gate to Xiaguan. In 1931, the Nationalist Government renamed Yifeng Gate to Xingzhong Gate (meaning “Revitalize China”) and invited Tan Yankai to inscribe the gate plaque. Between 1958 and 1959, Xingzhong Gate was demolished during the “ ” campaign.