Liuliao Ancient Town

　　    Liuliao Ancient Town is situated on the mountainside of Qingshan, west of Liuliao Town at the tip of the Liuliao Peninsula in Zhangpu County. The mountain rises abruptly from the beach, backed by the mainland and facing the sea, with Futou Bay and Jiuzhen Port to the side. The surrounding area is extremely open.

　　    Liuliao Ancient Town was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The town walls are entirely constructed from long rectangular stones, 2–3 meters thick, following the contours of the mountain and built atop natural rock formations. The overall layout of the town is an irregular circle with a slightly triangular shape, and has a perimeter of 1,815 meters.

　　    The Walls of Liuliao Ancient Town

　　    The walls are entirely built from long rectangular stones, 2–3 meters thick, following the natural undulations of the mountain and built along the mountainside, encircling it with a perimeter of 1,815 meters. They are about 6 meters high and 2 to 2.5 meters thick, constructed from granite blocks, forming a slightly triangular and irregularly circular shape. The outer side of the wall uses the sea as a moat. There are three city gates—southwest, south, and north—each with an earthen gate tower. Water gates were also built, with five visible today on the eastern and western sides, used for flood discharge and emergency purposes during wartime. Additionally, there are watchtowers and observation platforms. Among the large rocks on the mountain within the town, there are stone inscriptions such as “A Panoramic View of Sea and Sky” and “A Towering Single Rock Alone Views the Water’s Heaven. The Great Land Departs to the Southeast, While Mountain Ranges Dare Not Advance,” all inscribed by Ming Dynasty military commanders. Outside the northeast corner of the town lies a Ming Dynasty Guan Yu Temple. To the north of the town is the Ming Dynasty “Stele Record of Yu Dayou’s Meritorious Deeds in Resisting Japanese Pirates,” commemorating Yu Dayou’s achievements. Along the inner side of the town walls, banyan trees are planted throughout.