The Ming and Qing Ancient City Wall of Xining

The Ming and Qing Ancient City Wall of Xining

The Xining City Wall, located in Xining City, Qinghai Province, China, has largely been destroyed. In the 19th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty (1387), Marquis Changxing Geng Bingwen built the Xining Guard City in the northwest of the old Yuan Dynasty Xining Prefecture site, featuring four city gates and four corner towers.

In the third year of the Wanli reign (1575), Dong Ruhan, the Xining Defense Commissioner, led efforts to extensively reinforce the city wall. The wall foundation was built with large stone slabs, and the body of the wall was clad with brick. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Xining City Wall had suffered severe damage. During the War of Resistance against Japan, four breaches were made in the wall to facilitate civilian evacuation. After 1949, the Xining City Wall gradually disappeared.