Che Wai Fort

Che Wai Fort

Che Wai Fort is a cultural heritage site protected by Guangzhou Municipality.

Che Wai Fort, originally named Da Huangjiao Fort, is located on Guigang Island in the middle reaches of the Pearl River near Nanshitou in Guangzhou City, about 10 li by water from Bai'etan. The island is not large but has a strategically rugged terrain. Its waterways connect south to Xiangshan (now Zhongshan) and southeast to Huangpu, making it a vital passage for merchant ships and warships entering Guangzhou via the southern channel of the Pearl River. Ships coming from Humen must steer sharply to pass in front of the island, exposing the side of the hull to the fort — hence its common name “Che (steering) Wai (crooked)” Fort.

The fort was built in December of the 22nd year of the Jiaqing reign (1817) with approval from Governor-General Ruan Yuan of Liangguang and Governor Chen Ruolin. It was equipped with 22 cannons. The battery faces southeast and is constructed from lime-sand concrete. Today, remnants of the protective wall extend approximately 40 meters, while most of the gun emplacements have been damaged. In the center of the island stands a powder magazine used for storing ammunition, which remains relatively well-preserved.

In the 6th year of the Xianfeng reign (1856), Britain launched the Second Opium War under the pretext of the “Arrow Incident.” Early the following year, Anglo-French naval vessels invaded the Pearl River and were met with fierce resistance from Guangzhou’s military and civilians. The enemy retreated to Che Wai Fort to await reinforcements. On July 10, 1922, Sun Yat-sen led warships including the Yongfeng in an attempt to break through Che Wai Fort but encountered stubborn resistance from the rebel forces of Chen Jiongming. The Yongfeng sustained a hit to its stern. Sun Yat-sen directed the fleet to bombard the entrenched rebels and successfully broke through Che Wai Fort, anchoring safely at Bai'etan.

In 1993, the Guangzhou Municipal People's Government designated it as a cultural heritage protection site.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Guangzhou Cultural Heritage Protection Units