Ahou City Gate (Chaoyang Gate) Introduction
Ahou was the former name of Pingtung City. In 1836 (the 16th year of the Daoguang Emperor's reign), local gentry, concerned about the threat posed by indigenous bandits to the safety of residents, privately raised funds to construct Ahou City. As a result, Ahou City was not under the jurisdiction of the government; therefore, it is not documented in the Fengshan County Annals and is only briefly mentioned on the city gate plaque. Originally, Ahou City had four complete gates: east, south, west, and north. However, due to neglect and the demolition of most of the city walls during the Japanese colonial period to improve roads, only the east gate opening, known as Chaoyang Gate, remains, which is now located beside Zhongshan Park and has been designated as a national historic site at level three. The Chaoyang Gate stands approximately 3.6 meters tall, with the upper half of the city platform built of rectangular bricks in a protruding form; the lower half of the gate opening consists of a symmetrical brick semicircular arch with cobblestones on both sides. The plaque above the main gate is made of granite, inscribed with the characters "Chaoyang Gate." There are 17 crenellations made of red bricks on the city platform, which are estimated to have been added in the 65th year of the Republic of China. The gate opening consists of three sections: the front and back sections are constructed of long bricks in a circular arch shape, with a rectangular space in the middle. The wall surface of the city gate is made of stacked basalt granite, with the corners treated with clean water bricks, and the center is made of red bricks forming a circular archway. The arch's diameter is divided into three sizes, and the side walls also have mortise holes for inserting door bolts. Although the Ahou City Gate today stands alone and has lost its former splendor, its visible architectural structure, with mottled red bricks and wild grass growing at the base, contrasts with the modern park landscape nearby and showcases a strong sense of antiquity.
