The Ancient City Wall of Ganzhou (Song Dynasty Ruins)

　　The Song Dynasty City Wall of Ganzhou is the only well-preserved, reliably dated Song Dynasty city wall in Jiangxi Province, and also one of the few brick walls from the Northern Song Dynasty in the country. Originally built during the Han Dynasty, it has a history of two thousand years. Over the following 900 years through the Southern Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties, and the Republic of China, it underwent continuous repairs and reinforcements, eventually forming a majestic wall stretching 13 li in circumference around the city of Ganzhou. The wall averages 7 meters in height, extends 3.6 kilometers from the East Gate to the West Gate, and features well-preserved crenellations, artillery towers, barbicans, and gates. The quantity and variety of inscribed bricks bearing the dates of different dynasties on the wall are rare nationwide, leading experts to call it a “Museum of Song Dynasty City.”

　　The Song Dynasty City Wall of Ganzhou presents a stunning contrast between its undulating heights and the serene beauty of the river below. A morning stroll along the ancient, winding ramparts reveals a clear stream flowing beyond the wall, misty villages nestled among distant mountains, and rows of closely packed houses nearby, creating the illusion of stepping into a beautiful scroll painting of the “Along the River During the Qingming Festival.”

　　The Ancient City Wall of Ganzhou is a historically significant brick wall that still plays an important role in flood control today—it is the only remaining Song Dynasty brick city wall in the country. The foundation of Ganzhou’s city wall was laid after the expansion of the city by the Hakka leader Lu Guangchou in the late Tang Dynasty, initially as an earthen wall. However, as the river repeatedly eroded the earthen structure, by the Northern Song Dynasty during the Jiayou era (1056–1063), Kong Zonghan, then prefect of Ganzhou, began constructing the wall with bricks. Many other well-preserved city walls exist across China, such as those in Xi’an, Nanjing, Jingzhou, Shou County in Anhui, and even the Great Wall in Beijing. But the brick walls in these locations all date from after the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (starting in 1368), including the Great Wall. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in the Hongwu era, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang adopted the strategy of “building high walls, storing ample grain, and delaying the claim to the throne,” ordering cities and counties to construct walls. Hence, most existing city walls across the country were built during that time—except for Ganzhou’s, which dates back to the Northern Song Dynasty, making it a precious cultural heritage. After subsequent repairs and reinforcements spanning 900 years through the Southern Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties, and the Republic of China, Ganzhou’s city wall evolved into a towering, 13-li-long structure. It also includes complete features such as a moat, crenellations, watchtowers, guard posts, barbicans, and artillery towers. The city had five main gates: Xijin Gate, Zhennan Gate, Baisheng Gate, Jianchun Gate, and Yongjin Gate, with the first three having either double or triple barbicans. During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, to defend against the Taiping Rebellion, five artillery forts were constructed at major thoroughfares: Dongmen, Xiaonanmen, Dananmen, Xijinmen, and Bajingtai. Thanks to its robust fortifications and the natural defense provided by the river, Ganzhou earned the nickname “Iron City of Ganzhou.” Neither the Taiping forces, who attacked twice, nor the Red Army during the Central Soviet Area period, which attacked six times, managed to breach it. Today, four gates remain: Beimen, Xijinmen, Jianchunmen, and Yongjinmen; two artillery forts are well-preserved—Bajingtai and Xijinmen; and 3,600 meters of the ancient wall still stand. These walls and gates are not only popular tourist attractions but continue to serve Ganzhou’s flood prevention efforts. The Ganzhou municipal government allocates funds annually for their maintenance.

　　The Ancient City Wall of Ganzhou was originally built during the Han Dynasty and has a history of two thousand years. Over the following 900 years through the Southern Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties, and the Republic of China, it underwent continuous repairs and reinforcements, eventually forming a towering, 13-li-long wall around the city. The better-preserved sections were built during the Jiayou era of the Northern Song Dynasty, making it the largest surviving ancient city wall in southern China and one of the few brick walls from the Northern Song Dynasty in the country. The wall averages 7 meters in height, extends 3.6 kilometers from the East Gate to the West Gate, and features well-preserved crenellations, artillery towers, barbicans, and gates. As the only intact Song Dynasty city wall in Jiangxi Province with reliable dated inscriptions, the variety and abundance of such inscriptions on the wall are rare nationwide, earning it the title “Museum of Song Dynasty City.”

　　The foundation of Ganzhou’s city wall was laid after the expansion of the city by the Hakka leader Lu Guangchou in the late Tang Dynasty, initially as an earthen wall. However, as the river repeatedly eroded the earthen structure, by the Northern Song Dynasty during the Jiayou era (1056–1063), Kong Zonghan, then prefect of Ganzhou, began constructing the wall with bricks. Many other well-preserved city walls exist across China, such as those in Xi’an, Nanjing, Jingzhou, Shou County in Anhui, and even the Great Wall in Beijing. But the brick walls in these locations all date from after the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (starting in 1368), including the Great Wall. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in the Hongwu era, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang adopted the strategy of “building high walls, storing ample grain, and delaying the claim to the throne,” ordering cities and counties to construct walls. Hence, most existing city walls across the country were built during that time—except for Ganzhou’s, which dates back to the Northern Song Dynasty, making it a precious cultural heritage. After subsequent repairs and reinforcements spanning 900 years through the Southern Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties, and the Republic of China, Ganzhou’s city wall evolved into a towering, 13-li-long structure. It also includes complete features such as a moat, crenellations, watchtowers, guard posts, barbicans, and artillery towers. The city had five main gates: Xijin Gate, Zhennan Gate, Baisheng Gate, Jianchun Gate, and Yongjin Gate, with the first three having either double or triple barbicans.

　　During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, to defend against the Taiping Rebellion, five artillery forts were constructed at major thoroughfares: Dongmen, Xiaonanmen, Dananmen, Xijinmen, and Bajingtai. Thanks to its robust fortifications and the natural defense provided by the river, Ganzhou earned the nickname “Iron City of Ganzhou.” Neither the Taiping forces, who attacked twice, nor the Red Army during the Central Soviet Area period, which attacked six times, managed to breach it. Today, four gates remain: Beimen, Xijinmen, Jianchunmen, and Yongjinmen; two artillery forts are well-preserved—Bajingtai and Xijinmen; and 3,600 meters of the ancient wall still stand. These walls and gates are not only popular tourist attractions but continue to serve Ganzhou’s flood prevention efforts. The Ganzhou municipal government allocates funds annually for their maintenance.

　　Particularly precious are the tens of thousands of inscribed bricks preserved on the ancient wall. Known as “inscription bricks,” they bear texts from various periods, mainly including information such as the year of production, the supervising official, and the kiln of manufacture. According to a survey by the city museum, there are 521 types of inscribed bricks with different content. The earliest dates back to the second year of the Xining era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1069), while the latest is from the fourth year of the Republic of China (1915). This tradition continues to this day, making the wall a grand historical chronicle of Ganzhou, recording the rise and fall, and evolution of the ancient city. It holds significant historical value for the study of ancient urban construction in China. In 1996, the State Council designated the Ancient City Wall of Ganzhou as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

　　After liberation, measurements showed the wall to be 6,900 meters in total length, averaging 5 meters in height and 6.5 meters in thickness, with five gates: Zhennan, Xijin, Yongjin, Jianchun, and Baisheng.

　　After the southern section of the wall from Baisheng Gate through Zhennan Gate to Xijin Gate was demolished in 1958, the remaining sections along the river stretch 3,664 meters in total—eastward from Xijin Gate along the Zhang River to Bajingtai, and westward from Bajingtai along the Gong River through Yongjin Gate and Jianchun Gate to the former site of Baisheng Gate, now near Donghe Bridge. Additionally, 52 meters of the ancient wall remain along the Baijiangtai section in the southern part, and in October 1990, 41 meters of the wall foundation south of Ganzhou Yangji Hospital were exposed. According to a 1990 survey by the Ganzhou Museum, the existing wall includes 25.25 meters of Song Dynasty stone wall, 19.80 meters of Song Dynasty brick wall, and 41 meters of brick wall foundation from the Southern Song Dynasty at Yangji Hospital—all largely in their original state. Most other parts have been repaired in subsequent dynasties, and aside from areas obscured by weeds and trees where Song remnants may still lie beneath, much of it has become indistinguishable. Nevertheless, the overall 3,664-meter expanse remains a magnificent sight to behold.

　　Location

　　Bajing Road, Zhanggong District, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province

　　Type: Historic Sites / Ancient Towns / Ancient Villages

　　Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

　　Ticket Information:

　　No admission fee.