Ancient City Wall of Hanyin

　　In ancient times, every city had walls — nothing unusual about that. But to have survived through hardships, wars, and years of weathering, and yet remain intact to this day, allowing us to witness the original appearance of what was once a “fortified stronghold,” is quite rare. That’s what makes such relics so precious. The Hanyin City Wall is one of the earliest-built and best-preserved walls in the Qinba Mountain region of southern Shaanxi, which makes it all the more valuable. The wall forms a square-dipper shape, and in the old days, its four towering gates exuded a majestic, simple, and vigorous aura, giving people a sense of trust and security. I always loved strolling at the foot of the Hanyin ancient city wall — it seemed to have a special charm.

　　The Ancient City Wall of Hanyin was first built in the first year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1466). Initially made of earth, it had four gates and arrow towers. In the 22nd year of Chenghua (1486), the wall was rebuilt with bricks and stones. In the 9th year of Hongzhi (1496), the urban area was expanded, increasing the perimeter, and the walls were widened by four feet on all sides. In the 7th year of Zhengde (1512), the wall was heightened and thickened, with additional bricks and stones added to both the inner and outer sides. In the 14th year of Jiajing (1535), a moat was dug around the city, one zhang wide and five chi deep. The wall was repaired, and the four gates were given plaques: the east gate was called “Yinghui” (Greeting the Sunlight), the south gate “Nanxun” (Southern Breeze), the west gate “Cheng’en” (Receiving Grace), and the north gate “Gongchen” (Paying Homage to the Morning Star). In the 46th year of Wanli (1618), the horse paths inside and outside the city were widened, the south gate was renamed “Chaofeng” (Facing the Phoenix), and the north gate “Gonglong” (Paying Homage to the Dragon). In the 14th year of Chongzhen (1641), the inner wall was reinforced, five new corner towers were built in the northwest and northeast, along with 50 guardhouses, and an earthen rampart with a fence gate was constructed along the moat. In the 32nd year of Qianlong (1767) during the Qing Dynasty, the brick wall was renovated, stretching a total of 590 zhang and 5 chi. The wall was further thickened and heightened, and 752 crenels (parapets) were added. The northern section was not rebuilt with a gate due to its remote location and sparse population, as well as flooding issues from Longgang Slope. Stone plaques were embedded in the gates, and three gates were renamed: the east as “Riwen” (Sun’s Culture), the west as “Zhaoqing” (Founding Celebration), and the south as “Wenming” (Civilization). In the 18th year of Jiaqing (1813), willows were planted along the moat, artillery platforms were built at each corner, a watchtower was installed on the north wall, and three enemy towers were added. In the 12th year of Tongzhi (1873), due to “local scholars failing to achieve academic success for consecutive examinations,” a Wenfeng Tower (Literary Tower) was built on the southeast corner of the wall to boost cultural prestige. In the 27th year of the Republic of China (1938), when the Hanbai Highway was completed and passed along the north of the city, the north gate was reopened. In the 29th year of the Republic of China (1940), to defend against Japanese air raids and facilitate civilian evacuation, a small west gate was opened at the northwest corner of the city. During the 1960s and 1970s after the founding of New China, the northern and eastern parts of the Hanyin ancient city wall were destroyed for various reasons. Only the west gate, south gate, part of the west wall, and a section of the south wall remained, totaling approximately 800 meters. In the early 21st century, the south gate was demolished due to the expansion of South Street. Public outcry led the county government to plan for its restoration.

　　The Ming-era city wall of Hanyin has a history of over 540 years, dating back to the same period as the world-famous ancient city wall of Xi’an. From the initial construction of the earthen wall in the first year of Chenghua (1466) to the addition of bricks and stones in the 7th year of Zhengde (1496), which increased the height and width of the wall, a span of 47 years laid the foundation for the basic structure and scale of the Hanyin city wall. With a perimeter of about four Chinese miles, a height of two zhang, and a thickness of one zhang and eight chi, the wall was later expanded with a surrounding moat, widened horse paths, earthen ramparts, drawbridges, and various structures atop the gates such as gate towers, watchtowers, enemy towers, and corner towers. After centuries of continuous maintenance and improvement, the Hanyin ancient city wall has become a rare example of city wall engineering among counties in Shaanxi. As a product of a specific historical period and a form of ancient architectural art, the city wall reflects the level of social development at the time. It silently tells the story of Hanyin’s historical evolution and the wisdom of its laboring people.

　　After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, the strategist Zhu Sheng proposed the strategy of “building high walls, storing abundant grain, and delaying the claim of kingship,” emphasizing the importance of constructing city walls. The Hongwu Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, deeply understood how hard-won the empire was. To consolidate his rule, he believed deep moats, high walls, and ample internal and external preparations were essential for stability. Thus, after unifying the country, he immediately ordered the construction of fortresses nationwide. The Hanyin ancient city wall was built and improved under this historical context.

　　As a defensive strategic structure, the primary intention of the Hanyin ancient city wall’s design was durability and strength. The wall’s height and thickness were as solid as a mountain ridge. The broad top of the wall allowed for easy movement of troops and storage of supplies. The outer side of the wall was faced with bricks, resting on a stone base, while the inner side was built with layered pebbles, with rammed earth in between. The outer edge of the wall top featured crenels with loopholes and battlements, used for cover, observation, and shooting during wartime. The inner side had a moat and ramparts for horses, enabling defending troops to quickly reach the wall and deploy forces to guard key points. Each corner of the wall had artillery platforms, serving as critical defensive strongholds. Enemy towers were stationed at intervals along the wall, greatly enhancing its defensive capabilities. The gates, being the main targets of attack, were the most fortified. Each of the four gates had a drawbridge, and above them stood imposing double-eave hip-and-gable roof gate towers, equipped with arrow towers lined with dense arrow slits. Defenders could shoot down at enemies with great lethality, protecting themselves while eliminating threats. The four gate towers and arrow towers, rising proudly with their layered roofs and upturned eaves, formed a spectacular sight — both a military structure and a cultural landmark. The surrounding moat, fed by water from the Yue River, brought to life the ancient concept of a “fortified stronghold,” offering visitors a tangible experience.

　　The Hanyin city wall also served a flood prevention function. The county seat is located in the central part of the county, upstream of the Yue River. The main sources of flood threat to the city came from the Guanyin River to the west, the Yue River to the south, and landslides from Longgang to the north. The construction of the Hanyin city wall significantly enhanced the area’s flood defense capacity.

　　When exactly humans began building structures like city walls remains uncertain. However, the emergence of defensive walls has a long history in China. At the important Yangshao culture site of Banpo Village in Xi’an, dating back to the Neolithic Age, there were ditches designed to keep out intruders and animals — considered primitive prototypes of city walls, though sunken into the ground rather than raised above it. Historical records indicate that as early as the Xia Dynasty, urban fortifications had appeared in China. Emperor Qi of Xia, who established the first slave-owning state in Chinese history, had palaces consisting of “halls” and “chambers” built to the needs of the slave-owning nobility, along with the earliest forms of “city walls and moats.”

　　Gazing at the ancient, weathered city wall, I can’t help but sigh with melancholy. Had the Hanyin ancient city wall been fully preserved after the 1970s, the benefits it would have brought to the people of Hanyin would have been immeasurable. Unfortunately, most of it has now been destroyed. A once-complete, tangible chronicle of the county’s political, economic, cultural, artistic, and architectural history lies in fragments. Today, as people grow weary of the dullness of concrete jungles, they naturally yearn for the weighty history and culture of the past. But cultural heritage is irreplaceable, and history cannot be rewritten. What’s gone is gone, but we must learn the profound lesson of not letting heritage turn into regret once again.