Chenzhen Fortress Scenic Area

Chenzhen Fortress Scenic Area

Nan’ao holds a strategically important location, acting as the key between Zhangzhou and Chaozhou and the southeastern gateway. To resist Japanese pirate incursions and combat sea bandit raids, in 1575 the Ming Dynasty specially established the “Min-Yue Nan’ao Command.” The “Command” was a military organizational unit during the Ming and Qing periods, and the Nan’ao Chenzhen was a high-ranking official of the second rank, overseeing naval operations at the Fujian-Guangdong border. After Emperor Kangxi recovered Taiwan, the Chenzhen of Nan’ao also took part in rotating garrisons to defend Taiwan, Penghu, and Tamsui in three-year shifts for over two centuries. A total of 177 terms were held by 167 Commanders-in-Chief and Vice Commanders-in-Chief across the Ming and Qing dynasties stationed at this site.

The full name of the Nan’ao Chenzhen is the “Min-Yue Nan’ao General Command Fortress,” and it is the only island-based Chenzhen in China. Located in the center of the original site of Nan’ao City in Shen’ao Town, its construction began in 1576 (the fourth year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Yan Jifang, the second Vice Commander-in-Chief. By the mid-Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the architectural complex of the Chenzhen had become fairly complete, consisting mainly of the main building, side wings, front section, gate courtyard, corridors, commander’s flag platform, bell and drum towers, eastern and western gateways, among others. The Chenzhen has retained the footprints of many heroes; national hero Liu Yongfu served twice as Nan’ao’s Chenzhen, while Zheng Chenggong used this site as a base to recruit and train troops, eventually reclaiming Taiwan. Today, relics such as the “Zheng Chenggong Recruitment Tree” and the “Recruitment Stone” remain as memorials.

In July 2012, our county used the Chenzhen as a foundation to develop an anti-corruption education base, showcasing exemplary cases of integrity, diligence, and dedication among successive Chenzhens of Nan’ao in areas such as coastal defense, frontier security, education advancement, poverty alleviation, and disaster relief. The base was completed by the end of 2013 and offers integrity and ethics education to Party members, cadres, and the general public. To maximize the educational value of historically significant clean governance culture, the base was designated by the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission as the “Guangdong Province Anti-Corruption Education Base.”

In August 2014, with approval from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the “Cross-Strait Exchange Base” was established at the Nan’ao Chenzhen and officially inaugurated, providing a platform to enhance exchanges and cooperation between the two sides and strengthen ties between compatriots across the strait.

The Chenzhen government office is located in the center of Shen’ao Town. Constructed in 1576 (the fourth year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty) by Vice Commander-in-Chief Yan Jifang, it faces south and was the base for Ming and Qing Vice Commanders-in-Chief and Commanders-in-Chief. From 1576 to 1911 (the third year of the Xuantong era in the Qing Dynasty), 173 Vice Commanders-in-Chief and Commanders-in-Chief served here, overseeing coastal defenses in eastern Guangdong, southern Fujian, as well as Taiwan and Penghu. The original site of the Chenzhen now houses China’s first Coastal Defense History Exhibition Hall, and restoration work on the Chenzhen has commenced.

In front of the Chenzhen, there are two banyan trees. The one on the left is known as the “Zheng Chenggong Recruitment Tree.” In 1664, the national hero Zheng Chenggong posted notices under this tree to recruit soldiers for the recovery of Taiwan. Today, the ancient banyan, over 400 years old, remains robust and lush, standing 20 meters tall with a trunk circumference of 13.5 meters and a crown diameter of over 30 meters. Its roots twist and turn at the base, rugged and uneven; its flatter parts resemble a warship cutting through waves, while its protrusions look like a command pavilion firmly rooted on the ground—amazing visitors who see it.

Meanwhile, the Chenzhen also houses calligraphy steles and inscriptions from notable figures of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Among these, the most precious are harbor treaties and tax steles, along with two cannons weighing eight thousand and six thousand jin respectively, forged during the Opium Wars to resist British forces.

Address: Chenzhen Fortress, Nan’ao Island, Nan’ao County, Shantou City

Type: Historical Architecture

Recommended Visiting Time: 2–3 hours

Ticket Information:

Gate Price: 10.0 RMB

Transportation

Take Shantou Bus 602 (formerly Nan’ao Route 2) to Shen’ao Town (Chenzhen Fortress Ruins)

Shen’ao Town: Shen’ao Town was formed in December 2001 through the merger of the former Longdong Town and Shen’ao Town. It is the only mountainous agricultural town in Nan’ao County, comprising nine villages (communities) with a population of 9,124 and covering a total area of 44.75 square kilometers.

From January to September 2003, the town's rural credit union deposits totaled 9.55 million RMB, averaging over 1,000 RMB per person; 53 new residential applications were filed, with a total construction area of 7,065 square meters and an investment of approximately 4.6 million RMB; in the autumn of 2003, the school enrollment rate for primary and secondary students reached 90%.

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