Fengshan Old City Introduction
The Old City of Fengshan County, established during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, is located in present-day Zuoying District. It was the first county seat of Fengshan County after the Qing government took control of Taiwan and the first earthen city wall in Taiwan. During the Lin Shuangwen incident in the Qianlong era, the old city fell, and the political and economic power shifted to Xiapitou Street (now Fengshan District), leading to the establishment of the New City of Fengshan. However, the New City faced frequent banditry and was difficult to defend. In the Daoguang era (1862), efforts were made to gather both official and civilian strength to rebuild the first stone fortress in Taiwan on the original site of the old city, which is today's Old City of Fengshan County in Zuoying. The Old City of Fengshan has undergone changes through Japanese rule, the relocation of the Nationalist government to Taiwan, and urban development. Today, only the East Gate, South Gate, North Gate, and some remnants of the city wall remain, which have been designated as national monuments. The city walls of the Old City of Fengshan are constructed of natural rock from Chai Mountain, filled with rammed earth, and arched with granite from the mainland. The existing North Gate (Gongchen Gate) is located at the intersection of Shengli Road, Yimin Lane, and Pizaitou Street. The structure of the city gate remains well-preserved, with over a hundred meters of extending walls on both sides, built in a hexagonal shape. On either side of the gate, there are colorful painted deity sculptures of Shentu and Yulei, finely carved and very unique. The West Gate (Dianhai Gate) is located within Zuoying Zizhuxinli; only a section of the city wall remains, stretching over a hundred meters, with the gate name plaque "West Gate" currently displayed at the British Consulate Residence in Takao. The East Gate, also known as Fengyi Gate, is relatively intact, with over five hundred meters of the city wall remaining, connecting on the right to Yongqing Elementary School and on the left to Hai Guang New Village. The wall features nine crenellations and is constructed with a seven-level sloped ramp. The South Gate is located at the intersection of Zuoying Road and Gushan Third Road, with its inscription "Qiwun Gate" still preserved in pristine condition. Reflecting on the past, the Old City of Fengshan in Zuoying has experienced many changes. Amidst the prosperity of the New Zuoying business district, the ancient and simple silhouette of the old city quietly waits, narrating the pioneering history of the ancestors in Taiwan for over three hundred years.
