Zhenhai Houhaitang Seawall

Zhenhai Houhaitang Seawall

Zhenhai Houhaitang Seawall is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Zhenhai Houhaitang Seawall, stretching 4,800 meters from the foot of Jinzi Mountain in the east to Yufan Jiaxie Pavilion in the northwest, is 3 meters wide and 9.9 to 10.6 meters high. It is a stone seawall constructed with interlayered stone. The eastern section, 1,300 meters long, combines both city wall and seawall functions.

Zhenhai faces the sea to the north. To defend against tidal surges, a mud seawall was built here during the Tang Dynasty but later collapsed. In the 16th year of the Chunxi era of the Song Dynasty (1189), County Magistrate Tang Shuhan mobilized laborers to construct a stone seawall, following construction methods similar to those used for the Qiantang River seawall. In the 15th year of the Jiading era (1222), County Magistrate Shi Yanchen and Naval Commander Chen Wen oversaw continued construction, building two pavilions on the seawall: “Yonglai” and “Haiyan,” bringing the total length to 1,482 zhang and 5 chi. In the 20th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1387), to guard against Japanese pirates, a 1,300-meter section of northern city wall was connected to the seawall during the expansion of the garrison town. The wall was built against the seawall but later collapsed. In the first year of the Wanli era (1573), when rebuilding the destroyed northern wall, workers not only reinforced the seawall but also built the new wall tightly against its southern side, merging city wall and seawall to enhance structural thickness and strength. Due to ongoing erosion from ocean tides, the stones loosened over time. In July of the 12th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1747), a powerful typhoon and storm surge destroyed the seawall and city wall. County Magistrate Wang Mengbi supervised reconstruction efforts. A new seawall was built on the ruins of the old one, and in critical sections, interlocking layered stone was used to reinforce vulnerable points. After three years of repair, the seawall was shaped with pointed tops and wide bases resembling the shape of a right triangle, standing 2 zhang tall at the highest point, and ranging between 3.6 and 3.9 meters in slanted height. Repairs and maintenance continued in subsequent dynasties. Its solid structure has withstood centuries of storms without failing. During the Ming Dynasty, to fight off pirates, a Sea-Viewing Tower and battlements were built atop the seawall; in the Qing Dynasty, watchtowers and guard posts were installed; and in the Republican era, concrete bunkers were added. Today, a stele pavilion built in the first year of the Wanli era (1573) still remains on the seawall, housing the “Dinghai County Inner Wall Expansion Stele,” composed by Minister of War Zhang Shiche. By 1974, due to land reclamation for the construction of Zhenhai Port, Houhaitang Seawall completed its historical mission of defending the city from floods and tides.

Zhenhai Houhaitang Seawall was designated as a Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit in December 1989.

Address: Zhenhai District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units