The Former Site of Zhenyuan Battery

The Former Site of Zhenyuan Battery

The Former Site of Zhenyuan Battery is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Former Site of Zhenyuan Battery is located on Nanshan in Nanmian Community, Humen Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province. It was originally built in the 20th year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1815). On February 26, 1841, during the First Opium War, it was destroyed by British forces after the defeat in the “Battle of Humen Defense.” It was restored in the 23rd year of the Daoguang reign (1843), but was damaged again by the British during the Second Opium War in 1856. In the 7th year of the Guangxu reign (1881), Zhenyuan Battery was reconstructed, covering an area of approximately 2,140 square meters. It consists of seven circular or semi-circular open-air gun emplacements distributed along the mountainside on the western side of Nanshan, connected by underground passages. Behind the emplacements are two barracks and one powder magazine built with blue bricks. Additionally, three new gun emplacements were discovered to the east of Gun Emplacement No. 7 at Zhenyuan Battery, along with a perimeter stone wall and three additional barracks. The Former Site of Zhenyuan Battery serves as an important site for patriotic education and national defense education, and holds significant value for the study of coastal defense facilities from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1982.