Shigang Duomen (Shigang Sluice Gate)

Shigang Duomen

Shigang Duomen is a cultural heritage site protected by Rui’an City.

Shigang Duomen is located in Shigang Village, Tangxia Town, Rui’an City. Originally built during the Northern Song Dynasty, it was constructed with a combination of wood and stone. By the end of the Shaoxing era (1131–1162) of the Southern Song Dynasty, “the gatehouse and sluice were both damaged, but only the two embankments and the bottom of the channel, made of huge wooden beams—some as long as three zhang and about one chi thick—still stood firmly.” In the 12th year of the Chunxi era (1184), Prefect Li... [text truncated] carried out renovations, “using wooden planks to reinforce the structure,” and it became known as “Duomen” (Sluice Gate). In later years, wooden planks and stone were added and integrated to form a cohesive structure, commonly referred to as the “Little Dam.” The sluice features a total width of 3.40 meters, with two arches on either side of the embankment, each with a span of 3.35 meters, and two central arches, each with a span of 3.08 meters. Square stone pillars serve as piers beneath, with four per gap, closely integrated with transverse tie stones and stone beams, ensuring even force distribution. The top is paved with flagstones. Since the sluice had long been out of use, the middle two arches were raised to facilitate boat passage, transforming the original flat surface into the current arched bridge deck.

Source: Wenzhou Museum

Tangxia Town: Tangxia Town is located in the eastern coastal area of Rui’an City, bordering the East China Sea to the east, connecting to Tingtian to the south, adjacent to Pandi to the west, and backed by Xianyan Mountain to the north. The town covers a total area of 83 square kilometers, enjoys a superior geographical location and convenient transportation. It is 12 kilometers from downtown Rui’an and 18 kilometers from Wenzhou Airport. Both National Highway 104 and the under-construction Yongtaiwen Expressway and Wenzhou–Fuzhou Railway run through the town. The town administers 5 subdistrict offices and 89 administrative villages, with a total population of over 150,000. In 2000, the town’s GDP reached 3.855 billion yuan, with a per capita GDP of 21,800 yuan, which is... [more details on Tangxia Town++]