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Did Shang Hengdang Battery always stand guard over the Pearl River? No. Today, we stand before the remnants of Shang Hengdang Battery, a silent witness to Guangzhou’s turbulent past. Shang Hengdang Island, where the battery sits, owes its name to its position in the middle of the Pearl River. During the Qing Dynasty, Shang Hengdang Battery was one of the five Tiger Gate Batteries defending the mouth of the Pearl River. The other four, Xia Hengdang, Shajiao, Weiyuan, and Dajiao, were situated on other islands. These batteries played a crucial role in controlling access to the provincial capital. Ships entering the city were required to report to these stations first. Shang Hengdang Battery was initially built in 1717. Later, it became a key component of the second line of defense for the Tiger Gate fortifications during the First Opium War. The original battery consisted of three separate platforms: Hengdang, Hengdangyue, and Yong’an. These were later consolidated into the single, larger Shang Hengdang Battery. After being damaged in the First Opium War, historical records show plans to merge the Hengdang and Yong’an platforms into one. An 1873 painting depicts the unified Shang Hengdang Battery. Even after it was no longer strategically important, the people of Guangzhou recognized its significance. Today, we can still see traces of its history: the powder magazine, the barracks, and the training grounds. The Shang Hengdang Battery stands as a reminder of a time when the echoes of cannons filled the air. It whispers tales of resilience and resistance.