The Site of Sifang Battery

The Site of Sifang Battery

The Site of Sifang Battery is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangzhou Municipality.

Originally named Yongkang Battery, Sifang Battery was located atop Panlonggang in Yuexiu Mountain, north of Guangzhou City. Built in the 10th year of the Shunzhi reign (1653), it is one of the important remnants of the [Opium] War.

Due to its square shape, it became commonly known as “Sifang Battery.” The battery measured about 48 meters in both length and width, and 7 meters in height. It included an outer battery and a sub-battery, housing a total of 22 cannons of varying sizes — 13 on the outer battery and 9 on the sub-battery in the center — making it a key defensive point for Guangzhou. After the outbreak of the [Opium] War, due to the incompetence of the Qing government, the battery was occupied by British invading forces, who established their headquarters there. In defiance, the people from nearby villages in northern Guangzhou, such as Sanyuanli, united in resistance. On May 30, 1841, they lured the enemy from Sifang Battery to Niulanggang and encircled them for annihilation. The next day, tens of thousands of locals surrounded the battery again, preparing to eliminate the invaders completely. However, surrender-minded officials such as Yu Baichun, the Guangzhou prefect, bowed to the invaders’ demands and pressured the armed civilians, allowing the British troops to break the siege, flee the battery, and withdraw from Guangzhou. After its recapture, the battery was repaired. During the Second [Opium] War, it was damaged once more, and today only the foundations remain. In 1959, a cannon was excavated from beneath the battery’s foundation, which is now on display at the entrance of the Guangdong Revolutionary History Museum. In 1999, the site was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage protection unit.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Guangzhou Municipal Cultural Heritage Protection Units

Yuexiu Park

Zhenhai Tower (Guangzhou Museum) in Guangzhou

Five Rams Sculpture

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Monument in Guangzhou

Ancient City Wall of Ming Dynasty Guangzhou

Tomb of Wu Tingfang

Yuexiu Mountain Water Tower

Tomb of the Shaowu Emperor and His Ministers from the Ming Dynasty

Ancient Archway of Chuci Ting