Huanlei Gate

Huanlei Gate

Huanlei Gate — Huanlei Gate faces due east and is commonly known as the East Gate. The East Gate consists of two parts: the gate itself and the gate tower. The lower part is the gate, and the upper part is the tower. The gate has a brick-and-stone archway and thick fir plank doors. The archway is ten feet deep and nine feet high, with two high-quality fir wood doors, each five inches thick and weighing about 250 kilograms, making them very sturdy. The gate tower is built atop the gate, with a width and depth of fifteen feet and a height of twenty feet. In ancient times, when people climbed the tower and looked east, they could see the sails of merchant ships dotting the river, bustling streets and alleys within the city, and a thriving scene of merchants and markets.

In the spring of the 19th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty, Magistrate Su Zhaoyang led subordinate officials, local dignitaries, and gentry in holding a grand foundation-laying ceremony for the East Gate. At that time, the weather was mild and the sky was clear, with countless villagers from surrounding villages and hamlets in attendance. Just as the foundation-laying ceremony was about to begin, suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder shook the earth, stunning everyone. Su Zhaoyang also showed a trace of astonishment on his face, but he quickly calmed down. He looked up at the blue sky and declared loudly, “Look, even Heaven has come to celebrate our ceremony.” The sky remained as blue as ever, and the sunlight as bright. Su Zhaoyang’s words pulled the stunned crowd back from their nightmare. Those present blurted out, “A joyful thunder, this is a joyful thunder!” Su Zhaoyang said that once this East Gate was completed, it would be called “Huanlei Gate” (Joyful Thunder Gate). Amid the cheers of the many officials, gentry, and villagers, Magistrate Su Zhaoyang joyfully wielded his brush and wrote the three powerful characters for “Huanlei Gate.” From then on, the East Gate was called “Huanlei Gate,” also known as “Su’s Joyful Thunder.”

The gate tower above Huanlei Gate is called “Jiuri Tower” (Sunward Tower). It was built after the construction of the gate, faces due east, and allows one to watch the sunrise. Climbing the tower offers a view of the rising sun, symbolizing the momentum of the sun rising in the east, as well as representing national prosperity, flourishing development, and a wealthy life. Jiuri Tower gets its name from this symbolism. Climbing the East Gate tower also allows one to overlook some of the residential buildings at the heart of the island and experience the simple charm of the ancient town.

Source: Tourism Bureau of Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County

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