Hengchun Old City Gate Introduction
Kenting Old Town was built in the first year of the Guangxu era during the Qing Dynasty and completed in the fifth year of Guangxu. It is located in the central part of the Hengchun Plain, surrounded by mountains such as San Tai Mountain, Huo Tou Mountain, Long Luan Mountain, and Xi Ping Mountain. The renowned official Liu Yao, known for his feng shui expertise, was invited to choose the site, using Monkey Cave Mountain as the dragon vein. Four gates were constructed in the east, west, south, and north, each equipped with a gun turret. A moat surrounds the city walls, making it one of the few well-preserved ancient city gate monuments in Taiwan. With a history spanning over a century, Kenting Old Town is an important national monument in Taiwan. What are the remarkable features of the city gate construction? In various counties and cities, there are many preserved ancient city ruins, whose basic structure includes walls, gates, gun turrets, gate towers, moats, access paths, and horse paths. For example, let’s describe the East Gate of Kenting Old Town: - **City Walls**: The material used includes "glutinous rice paste, syrup, and lime mortar," constructed using the "rammed earth construction method," which is the oldest building technique. Currently, horizontal lines can be seen on the city wall's surface, remnants left from the ramming process. - **City Gates**: There are four city gates in Kenting, further divided into city platforms. The upper part is termed the "gate tower," while the lower part is the "gate opening." The upper half of the city platform is made of bricks, and the lower half is constructed with gravel and mortar, with granite paving the bottom. - **Gate Inscription**: The size of the inscriptions on the four gates varies, constructed from basalt and adorned with decorative frames. - **Gun Turrets**: These are protruding sections of the city wall, allowing large cannons to be placed on top. Each turret holds four cannons, with two facing forward and the other two positioned at a 45-degree angle to the left and right, using granite to withstand cannon recoil. - **Moat**: Also known as the protective ditch, its main function is to enhance defense. Additionally, the earth dug from the ditch was used for construction. Currently, the moat has been filled with earth or repurposed as a drainage ditch. - **Battlements**: These are protrusions on the walls that enhance aesthetic design and serve a defensive function, featuring small openings in the center that allow soldiers to use them for shooting cover, increasing the strategic advantage in attack and defense. - **Access Path**: Also known as the "step path," this serves as a convenient route for entering the city. - **Horse Path**: This path on the city wall is for the movement of guards. - **Parapet**: Located on the outer city wall, it functions similarly to a railing.
Hengchun Old Town South Gate
East Gate of Hengchun Ancient City
