Weiyuan Fort

Weiyuan Fort is located atop Mount Zhaobao in Chengdong Community, Zhaobao Mountain Subdistrict, Zhenhai District, covering an area of 5,186 square meters. According to the *Zhenhai County Annals*, it was built in the 39th year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1560), organized by General Lu Tang and Regional Maritime Defense Commissioner Tan Lun, and constructed with strip stones. The lintel of the fort’s gate bears the recessed regular script inscription “Weiyuan Fort” (meaning “Formidable and Distant Fort”), which was inscribed in the 12th year of the Daoguang reign (1832) by Magistrate Guo Chunzhang of that time. The existing Weiyuan Fort has a rectangular layout, with a perimeter of 502 meters and walls varying in height from 7.4 meters. Battlements are built along the top, and there is one gate each on the northeast and southwest sides. The arched gates feature longitudinal jointing with sectional alignment and parallel masonry construction, while the wall strips are laid in staggered courses. Inside the gate, historically known as the Troop Review Platform, there is a stone-paved floor and a passageway. Within the fort, there are 11 stone steles from the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as structures such as the Yuantong Treasure Hall. The fortress has undergone multiple renovations over the centuries. From 1983 to 1985, the People’s Government of Zhenhai County repaired the southeast and west sections of the wall from the front gate to the Yuantong Treasure Hall. In 2006, the district government funded repairs to the southern wall, adjusted and standardized fire safety facilities, and the existing structures are now well preserved. This site witnessed battles against Japanese pirates, the British, the French, and the Japanese, serving as a significant historical testament to the “Four Anti-Invasion Battles” and holding important historical value for studying their history. Meanwhile, the ancient wall structure demonstrates exquisite craftsmanship, offering high scientific and artistic value for researching early city wall architecture in eastern Zhejiang.