Wanping Town

　　Wanping has long been the southern gateway to Beijing. The town was built in the tenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor’s reign during the late Ming Dynasty (1637), a time when the Ming Empire was in turmoil. It was constructed to station troops and defend the capital. The *Old Accounts of Scenic Spots in the Imperial Capital* recorded: “Lugou, being the throat of the capital region, should be guarded by stationed forces, and a town should also be built to protect those troops.” “Although compact in layout, its towering walls stand as a formidable pass.” During the Ming Dynasty, it was called “Gongji” Town; in the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed “Gongbei” Town — it was not called Wanping at that time, as the county office of Wanping County was located near the Drum Tower in Beijing’s urban area. After the Xinhai Revolution, Wanping County was placed under the jurisdiction of Hebei Province, and the county office was officially relocated here. Nine years after the move, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out here. Because Wanping was originally built for military purposes, although the town is small, its layout and structure were different from those of an ordinary county town. Inside the town, there were none of the typical features of a county town such as main streets, alleys, markets, or bell and drum towers. The town had only two gates, east and west, both with barbicans and gate towers. The city wall was relatively thick and solid, primarily to aid in defending the capital.

　　During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Wanping Town did not suffer much damage, but it became a place of frequent disaster after the Republic of China era. On the evening of July 7, 1937, Japanese invading forces conducted provocative military exercises near the Lugou Bridge and fired their guns indiscriminately. That night, the Japanese troops made unreasonable protests to the 29th Army stationed there, falsely claiming that Chinese forces had fired from within Wanping Town and alleging that a Japanese soldier had gone missing, demanding to search the town. The 29th Army defending the bridge firmly refused. The Japanese then bombarded Wanping Town with artillery and machine guns, leading to fierce fighting in which the Japanese forces suffered heavy casualties.

　　The Marco Polo Bridge Incident marked the beginning of the Chinese people's war of resistance and self-defense, as well as the starting point of the anti-fascist struggle in the East and Pacific region. By the banks of the Lugou Bridge and near Wanping Town, the finest sons and patriotic soldiers of the Chinese nation fought bravely to defend their homeland, with many martyrs giving their lives. Today, not far from Wanping Town, on Dazao Mountain, stands the tomb of General Zhao Dengyu, a hero of the War of Resistance. Visiting these martyrs’ tombs still inspires deep reverence.

　　The world-renowned Lugou Bridge lies southeast of Wanping Town. This ancient bridge, built during the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty, not only stands as a witness to the Chinese people’s fight against aggression but is also one of the three major bridges that historically protected the capital (Lugou Bridge in the south, Yongtong Bridge in the east, and Chaogong Bridge in the north). At the same time, its architectural structure and artistry are rare in the history of world bridges. It’s no wonder that the world-famous traveler Marco Polo, who served in China for over 20 years, praised Lugou Bridge as “the best and most unique bridge in the world.”

　　“Morning Moon over Lugou” is one of the famous “Eight Views of Yanjing,” originating in the Jin Dynasty. This poetic scene is formed by the harmony of distant mountains, nearby water, the morning moon, and the stone bridge. This picturesque view also inspired poetic lines:

　　“The river whispers as the moon flows, the sound of the night watch fades away;

　　The western hills are barely visible through the mist.

　　Distant trees faintly blend with pale cloud shadows, sparse stars and chill dawn light.”

　　These are fine verses left by a poet of the Ming Dynasty.