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Dongmen Ruins

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Located between Dongguan City Tower and the ancient canal. In September 1999, the ruins of the Eastern Gate of the Great Song City were discovered at a construction site at the entrance of Dongguan Street. The construction unit promptly demolished two capped residential buildings to clear the foundation for archaeological work. In March 2000, during the development of the ancient canal scenic area, further archaeological excavations were carried out, uncovering the ruins of the Eastern Gate of the Great Song City adjacent to the bridge, confirming the location of the ancient city’s eastern gate and revealing its structure, which closely matched historical records. The gate had multiple layers, including rammed earth, brick walls, and a moat. The stone foundations were well-preserved, and artifacts such as pottery, porcelain, and coins from the Song Dynasty were unearthed. A large number of cultural relics were also discovered in the lower strata of the ruins. Among them, inscribed bricks with phrases such as “Built by So-and-so” and “Constructed in such-and-such a year” provided valuable clues about the builders and the time of construction. A large number of animal bones were also found. In 2005, the municipal government decided to build Dongmen Ruins Park. Residential buildings on the site were relocated, and based on the Song Dynasty’s Yingzao Fashi (Treatise on Architectural Methods), the Eastern Gate tower was reconstructed using steel structures atop the original ruins. A 300-meter section of the barbican wall, 560 square meters of wooden boardwalks, 1,500 square meters of pathways, and a 2,500-square-meter plaza were restored, covering a total area of approximately 10,000 square meters. In the spring of 2013, the Dongmen Ruins Park underwent renovation, with the addition of extensive greenery and new statues of figures such as Marco Polo, Cao Can, and others, enhancing the park’s ambiance and contributing to its development as an AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

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Dongmen Ruins

The Dongmen Ruins are a cultural tourism attraction.

Located between Dongguan City Tower and the ancient canal. In September 1999, the ruins of the Eastern Gate of the Great Song City were discovered at a construction site at the entrance of Dongguan Street. The construction unit promptly demolished two capped residential buildings to clear the foundation for archaeological work. In March 2000, during the development of the ancient canal scenic area, further archaeological excavations were carried out, uncovering the ruins of the Eastern Gate of the Great Song City adjacent to the bridge, confirming the location of the ancient city’s eastern gate and revealing its structure, which closely matched historical records. The gate had multiple layers, including rammed earth, brick walls, and a moat. The stone foundations were well-preserved, and artifacts such as pottery, porcelain, and coins from the Song Dynasty were unearthed. A large number of cultural relics were also discovered in the lower strata of the ruins. Among them, inscribed bricks with phrases such as “Built by So-and-so” and “Constructed in such-and-such a year” provided valuable clues about the builders and the time of construction. A large number of animal bones were also found.

In 2005, the municipal government decided to build Dongmen Ruins Park. Residential buildings on the site were relocated, and based on the Song Dynasty’s Yingzao Fashi (Treatise on Architectural Methods), the Eastern Gate tower was reconstructed using steel structures atop the original ruins. A 300-meter section of the barbican wall, 560 square meters of wooden boardwalks, 1,500 square meters of pathways, and a 2,500-square-meter plaza were restored, covering a total area of approximately 10,000 square meters. In the spring of 2013, the Dongmen Ruins Park underwent renovation, with the addition of extensive greenery and new statues of figures such as Marco Polo, Cao Can, and others, enhancing the park’s ambiance and contributing to its development as an AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

Suggested Duration

1 hour

Transportation

Take bus routes 25, 44, 45, 61, or 210 to Dongguan Ancient Ferry Station

Opening Hours

Open all day

Location

Taizhou Road, Guangling District, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province