Magong Old City (Shun Cheng Gate) Introduction
In the 12th year of the Guangxu era (1886), the Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, Yang Changjun, and the Governor of Taiwan, Liu Mingchuan, personally came to Penghu to survey the terrain. They decided to construct Magong City for defensive purposes. The supervision of the construction was assigned to General Wu Honglu of Penghu, with the project commencing in December of the following year (1887) and taking 1 year and 10 months to complete. The construction was finished in October of the 15th year of Guangxu (1889). This was the last city wall built by the Qing Dynasty in Taiwan. The construction of Magong City integrated the military, economic, and administrative center of Penghu. Magong City is also known as "Penghu City" or "Guangxu City," and it is the last official city constructed in Taiwan. During the Sino-French War, Penghu was easily captured by the French forces. After the peace treaty, Liu Mingchuan, the Governor of Taiwan, and Yang Changjun, the Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, discussed defense matters and recognized the need for a military defensive city in Penghu. Thus, the construction was overseen by General Wu Honglu and completed in the 15th year of Guangxu (1889). The scale of the ancient Magong City measures 789.2 zhang, with 570 battlements. The wall height reaches 1.8 zhang, the foundation depth is 3.5 cun, and the thickness is 2.4 zhang. Magong ancient city has a total of six gates: the East Gate is called Chaoyang Gate, the Small West Gate is named Shuncheng Gate, the South Gate is known as Jixu Gate, the North Gate is called Gongchen Gate, the Small South Gate is known as Yingxun Gate, and there is no city tower at the West Gate. Currently, Shuncheng Gate is the Small West Gate. Unlike general city walls that reserve square holes for observation and shooting, Shuncheng Gate is constructed from locally produced volcanic rock, with the upper section built of ancient stone battlements. A layer of brick is used as decoration in the middle, and oyster shell ash is applied to the surface for protective purposes. Today, the remaining ruins of Magong City consist only of Shuncheng Gate, the West Gate, and parts of the western city wall. Shuncheng Gate is the only preserved gate building among the remnants of the ancient Magong City and is designated as a secondary historical site. 【Recommended Stay Time】 0.5 hours
Magong Old City (Shun Cheng Gate)
