Recently, in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, a section of the Ming Dynasty ancient city wall collapsed suddenly. Following the incident, the Daxin Gate on the west city wall has been closed.
According to a video taken by netizens, near Wanliu Park in Xuanhua District of Zhangjiakou City, a section of the Ming Dynasty ancient city wall collapsed unexpectedly, with several local residents gathering to observe.
In response to this, staff from the Xuanhua District Cultural Heritage Management Office mentioned that the collapse of the Xuanhua west city wall occurred on the evening of August 7, possibly due to the heavy rain over the past two days. “After a partial collapse of the west city wall, access is now restricted,” and the Daxin Gate on the west city wall has been closed.
It is reported that the Xuanhua west city wall is located on the outskirts of Wanliu Park and is a part of the ancient city wall of Xuanhua. Xuanhua Ancient City was built due to the Great Wall and is an important component of the Great Wall defense system.
According to public records, Xuanhua Ancient City was built in the 27th year of the Ming Hongwu era (1394). During its peak, Xuanhua City had a perimeter of 12.3 kilometers and held a significant position among existing ancient cities in northern China, ranking as the first of the nine towns of the Ming Great Wall. However, as these ancient cities have become tourist attractions, the ancient city walls, which have experienced over 600 years of history, are currently severely damaged.
In addition to Zhangjiakou, in June of this year, a partial collapse occurred in the northern section of the west side of Shuitingmen City Wall in Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province. The city wall of Quzhou was initially built in the third year of the Jianping era of the Eastern Han Dynasty, around 192 AD, making it over 1800 years old.