Doesn’t the name Zhengyangmen resonate with history? Zhengyangmen stands tall as an enduring symbol of old Beijing. We are standing before a gate. It once guarded the southern entry into the Inner City.
Let’s delve into the past. Zhengyangmen was first built in 1419 during the Ming dynasty. It consisted of a gatehouse and an archery tower. These were connected by side walls forming a large barbican.
Imagine the scene. The gate guarded the direct entry into the imperial city. The city’s first railway station stood just outside. It was known as the Qianmen Station.
Tragedy struck in 1900. During the Boxer Rebellion, Zhengyangmen sustained considerable damage. The Eight-Nation Alliance invaded the city. Fierce fighting ensued at Zhengyangmen. The Hui and Dongxiang Muslim Kansu Braves fought valiantly. Ma Fulu and 100 of his soldiers died in the battle.
The Qing Empire later violated the Boxer Protocol. They constructed a tower at the gate. This act defied the settlement terms.
The gate complex underwent extensive reconstruction in 1914. The barbican side gates were torn down a year later.
After the Communist victory in 1949 Zhengyangmen gatehouse was occupied. The Beijing garrison of the People’s Liberation Army moved in. They vacated the gatehouse in 1980. It then became a tourist attraction.
At 42 meters high Zhengyangmen gatehouse was the tallest gate in Beijing’s city wall. It survived the demolition of city walls in the late 1960s. This demolition occurred during the construction of the Beijing Subway. Other gates were not so lucky.
Today Qianmen Avenue cuts between the Zhengyangmen gatehouse and the archery tower. Line 2’s Qianmen Station is located between these structures. It stands within the space once enclosed by the barbican.
Consider Zhengyangmen’s geographical significance. It sits on Beijing’s central north-south axis. The main gateway aligns with several important landmarks. These include Yongdingmen Gate the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and Tiananmen Gate. Also aligned are the Meridian Gate and the Forbidden City’s Hall of Supreme Harmony. Even the Drum and Bell Towers and the entrance to the Olympic Green are in line.
The kilometre zero point for highways in China is just outside Zhengyangmen Gate. A plaque in the ground marks the spot. It displays the four cardinal points and the phrase “Zero Point of Highways China.”
The area around Zhengyangmen is rich in history. Qianmen Street leads south from the gate. It has been a commercial center for centuries. Today it mainly caters to tourists.
However a redevelopment in the 2000s changed the street. International brands moved in. This resulted in Qianmen Avenue often being deserted.
Dashilanr is a well-known cross-street with a similar character. The Peking duck restaurant Quanjude is located on Qianmen Street. The Qianmen area is also home to Beijing’s narrowest hutong. It is the Qianshi hutong.
Transportation to Zhengyangmen is convenient. Beijing Subway Lines 2 and 8 stop at Qianmen. Many bus routes also have terminals here.
Zhengyangmen stands as a testament to Beijing’s rich history. It connects the past with the present. It remains an enduring symbol of this great city.