Ahou City Gate (Chaoyang Gate) Introduction
Ahou is the old name of Pingtung City. In 1836 (the 16th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty), local gentry worried about potential disturbances from indigenous tribes that could threaten the safety of the city's residents. Consequently, they privately raised funds to build Ahou City, which was not under the jurisdiction of the government. For this reason, there are no relevant records of Ahou City in the Fengshan County Annals, only a brief mention on the city gate plaque. Ahou City originally had four complete gates—east, south, west, and north—however, due to neglect and road improvements during the Japanese colonial period, most of the city walls were demolished, leaving only the east gate, known today as “Chaoyang Gate,” adjacent to Zhongshan Park, which has been designated as a national third-level monument. Chaoyang Gate is approximately 3.6 meters tall; the upper half of the city platform is made of bricks, presenting a protruding shape, while the lower part of the gate opening features a symmetrical brick arch, with the sides made of cobblestones. The main gate plaque is made of granite and inscribed with the three characters "Chaoyang Gate." The city platform has 17 battlements made of red bricks, estimated to have been added in 1976. The gate opening is structured in three segments: the front and back segments are arched with long bricks, leaving a rectangular space in the middle. The wall of the city gate is constructed with basalt granite, and the corners are treated with clear water bricks. The central part features a circular archway made of red bricks, divided into three sizes, and the side walls also have mortise holes for gate bolts. Although the Ahou City Gate now stands as a solitary gate, no longer reflecting its former glory, its visible architectural structure, with weathered red bricks and overgrown grass on the base, contrasts with the modern park landscape, showcasing a rich sense of antiquity.
