Ruins of the Wooden Watergate of the Nanyue Kingdom

Ruins of the Wooden Watergate of the Nanyue Kingdom

The ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom wooden watergate are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom watergate are located on the B1 level of Guangming Plaza at No. 63 Xihu Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. The Nanyue Kingdom watergate is the remnant of a "watergate" (sluice) from the southern city wall of the Nanyue Kingdom’s capital. Discovered in 2000, only the wooden structure of the watergate remains. It faces south and is situated about 4 meters below the current ground surface, with overlaid architectural remains from the Eastern Han, Jin, Southern Dynasties, as well as the late Tang and Song periods. The sluice was located on the northern bank of the Pearl River at that time, oriented north-south, with a gate opening 5 meters wide and 35 meters long. Both the northern and southern ends of the gate opening flared outward in a “V” shape, covering an area of approximately 903 square meters. The Nanyue Kingdom watergate ruins represent the earliest, largest in scale, and best-preserved wooden watergate site discovered in urban archaeology in China. In 2006, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council.

Western Han Dynasty Nanyue Kingdom Watergate Ruins (Ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom Wooden Watergate)

Western Han Dynasty Nanyue Kingdom Watergate Ruins (Ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom Wooden Watergate)

Previous historical records only indicated that in 214 BC (the 33rd year of Qin Shi Huang’s reign), the Qin general Ren Xiao built a city in Panyu, historically known as the “Ren Xiao City.” In 204 BC, after Zhao Tuo established the Nanyue Kingdom, he expanded Ren Xiao City to a perimeter of “ten li,” covering the area from Children’s Park on the north side of Zhongshan 4th Road to Cangbian Road—though this remained a vague concept. Since 1974, when brick-paved walkways and fragments of “Wan sui” (Long Live) roof tiles from the Nanyue King’s Palace were discovered beneath the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, archaeological evidence began to emerge. Especially since 1995, the discovery of a large underground stone water reservoir of the Nanyue King’s Palace in Zhongyou Street, the adjacent royal garden to its south, and palace ruins east of Children’s Park have confirmed without doubt that this area was the site of the royal palace. However, the full extent of Zhao Tuo’s city remains unresolved.

Western Han Dynasty Nanyue Kingdom Watergate Ruins (Ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom Wooden Watergate)

Western Han Dynasty Nanyue Kingdom Watergate Ruins (Ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom Wooden Watergate)

In April 2000, archaeologists excavated an area of 600 square meters between Fuxing East Road and Xihu Road, uncovering the ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom wooden watergate. They also found “Wan sui” roof tiles along with Western Han cloud-patterned tiles, plain tiles, and pottery net sinkers—all consistent with artifacts found in the Nanyue Kingdom royal gardens—confirming that this was indeed a Nanyue Kingdom watergate. In other words, this is a building ruin at the southern end of the Nanyue Kingdom capital. Historical records mention a Yuewang Palace and Yuewang Terrace on Yuexiu Mountain, a Yuewang Well at the mountain’s foot, and a Chaohan Terrace on Xianggang Mountain. These sites were likely also within the bounds of the Nanyue Kingdom capital.

Western Han Dynasty Nanyue Kingdom Watergate Ruins

At the watergate site, foundations of Eastern Han city walls were also discovered, along with wells from the Eastern Han and Southern Dynasties, building foundations and pathways from the Tang and Song dynasties, among other relics. The significance of this site is undoubtedly immense. Guangzhou has plans to develop the watergate ruins into the country’s first “indoor publicly accessible cultural relic,” open for visits by citizens and tourists. It is now closed.

Address: B1 Level, Guangming Plaza, No. 63 Xihu Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City

Type: Ancient Relics Museum

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Phone: 020-83323818

Opening Hours:

Monday–Friday: 14:00–18:00; Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays: 12:00–18:00

Ticket Information:

Free admission

Longzang Community: Longzang Community…… Longzang Community detailed information++