There are many cultural relics and historical sites in Nanjing, especially the ancient buildings represented by the Ming City Wall can better reflect the cultural heritage of the city.
As part of the Ming City Wall, Zhonghua Gate is located at the south gate of the city, between the inner and outer Qinhuai River, formerly known as Jubao Gate. Zhonghuamen Castle is the largest surviving castle-like urn in China, and is also considered to be the best-preserved and most complex ancient castle in the world. The city gate is large in scale, ingenious in design and complex in structure, and has been listed as a national key protected cultural relic by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
Inside the Zhonghua Gate is the Inner Qinhuai River, which is connected by Zhenhuai Bridge to Zhonghua Road, which has been prosperous for thousands of years since the Southern Tang Dynasty. The east side of Zhonghua Gate is called “Men East” area; while the west side of Zhonghua Gate is called “Men West” area.
Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang began to build the Nanjing city wall in 1366. Among them, Jubaomen was rebuilt on the former site of the southern gate of the capital of the Southern Tang Dynasty. According to legend, there is a cornucopia of Shen Wansan, a wealthy household in the south of the Yangtze River buried under the gate. In 1931, it was renamed Zhonghuamen. The gate is 118.5 meters wide from east to west and 128 meters long from north to south, covering an area of 15,168 square meters. There are three urn cities in total, which are connected by four coupon gates. The first gate is 21.45 meters high. And there are horse trails for riding to the city. Each door has a jack gate and a double wooden door that can be activated up and down. Now only the remains of the gate slot and the door position remain. There are 13 caves for Tibetan soldiers up and down the Wengcheng, and 14 caves for Tibetan soldiers under the left and right horse roads, which can store military supplies and ambush soldiers during wartime. It is estimated that it can accommodate 3,000 people.
Walking on the city wall of China Gate, there is an illusion of time and space disorder from time to time. Some of the bricks that have been eroded by wind and rain have begun to peel off, showing a deep sense of historical vicissitudes. Looking at these ancient buildings made me fall into deep contemplation.
