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01-13-2006 17:09

Beijing’s basic layout has changed little over the centuries. Until recent times, the city was encircled by three city walls. These days, it is characterised by its concentric ring roads. Since they are no longer needed for defence, many of the walls and gates have been demolished to make way for the city’s development. Today, we continue our series looking at the history of Beijing’s city gates and walls. They were an integral part of the overall city plan. Beijing’s geometrical layout is in accordance with ancient ideas on city planning. Its layout is also highly regarded by modern town planners and architects.

Beijing’s city walls and gates were built for defence. Over time, they came to have different functions as well. The southern gates were larger than others to express imperial power. Certain gates had special functions. Outside some gates were rural areas which became scenic attractions. The gates also became city landmarks. Some had names that included their direction. Although most gates have disappeared, Beijing residents still use their names to navigate around the city.

Among Beijing’s city gates, the two most noteworthy are Tian’anmen and Zhengyang Gate. Tian’anmen and Tian’anmen Square have been the site of many historical scenes, including the declaration of the People’s Republic in 1949. Tomorrow, in the third part of our four-part documentary series, we will look at the special uses of the nine main gates. Zhengyang Gate was the most imposing of these. The watchtower was for the Emperor’s sole use. It was only opened when he went into the southern suburbs to sacrifice to Heaven and the God of Agriculture. The auspicious names or locations of other gates encouraged a variety of specialised uses.

 

Editor:Wang Ping