Yueheng Gate Introduction
Yueheng Gate is located to the west of Hsingzhuang in the Dongshi District, facing the Dajia River. Its design and scale are similar to that of the "Risheng Gate," featuring a couplet in blue characters that reads, "Backed by the Gui direction which is in harmony; Facing the Ding direction is overall suitable." In the Heavenly Trunk system, the Gui direction refers to the north, while the Ding direction refers to the south, indicating that Yueheng Gate is oriented north to south. Above the gate, there are circular gun ports on both sides, and below the couplet, there are two square gun holes, which serve significant defensive purposes. The Risheng and Yueheng Gates are closely related to the history of Kaizhuang in the lower city. According to existing historical records, the founding of Kaizhuang in the lower city began in the fifth year of the Daoguang era during the Qing Dynasty, when the villagers engaged in reclamation and established bamboo boundaries with stone walls, building houses in shares and working together primarily in agriculture, naming it "Hsingzhuang." After the revolt of Dai Wansheng, the residents of Hsingzhuang built gates on the east and west sides for defense against external threats, complete with gun holes for readiness in battle, and planted bamboo around the village to prevent robberies. In 1999, during the 921 Jiji Earthquake, Yueheng Gate suffered damage, and the Cultural Affairs Bureau registered it as a historical building and carried out restoration work.
