“Gold, one foot drop is all it takes to dredge rivers and reduce the turbid flow.” This poem, bestowed by the Qianlong Emperor, speaks volumes about the importance of the Jinmen Gate site. We are standing at the Jinmen Gate site. It once played a crucial role in managing the waterways of the Grand Canal.
The Jinmen Gate site is located in Hebei Province. More precisely, it lies in Langfang City’s Xianghe County near Hongmiao Village. This places it on the eastern bank of the North Grand Canal. Its location is at the entry of the Qinglong Bay River. It is also known as Hongmiao Village Jinmen Gate due to its location.
This site marks a key point on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It highlights the importance of water management in ancient China. The Jinmen Gate was the first water diversion gate on the North Grand Canal.
To ease the North Grand Canal’s water issues, the Qinglong Bay River was dredged. This happened in 1729 during the seventh year of the Yongzheng Emperor’s reign. A stone weir was then set up at the river mouth. This was to divert floodwaters.
Later in 1772, during Qianlong’s reign, the weir was replaced with a stone gate. This upgrade included gate towers on both banks. Emperor Qianlong named it Jinmen Gate. He even wrote a poem praising its effectiveness. The poem was engraved on a stone tablet.
The Jinmen Gate served a dual purpose. During flood season, it diverted water via Qinglong Bay. This ensured safe passage. During dry seasons, the gate held water. It maintained water levels for navigation and downstream supply.
In 1925, the Jinmen Gate underwent reconstruction. The existing platform bases date back to this time. In 1974, a reinforced concrete gate was built for flood discharge. This new gate made the Jinmen Gate obsolete.
Today only remnants of the Jinmen Gate remain. These include the north and south gate platforms. Scattered stone blocks are also visible. The south gate platform still stands about three meters tall. It has a trapezoidal shape. The north gate platform is better preserved. Its outer wall is made of stone. The inside is filled with rammed earth.
The remaining stones bear witness to the past. Some stones feature dragon patterns. Others have inscriptions about repairs and names of contributors. Recent renovations of the Jinmen Gate site preserved these original stones.
In 2006, the Jinmen Gate site became a part of the sixth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. This was under the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal project. A Jinmen Gate Exhibition Hall was built by 2023.
The Jinmen Gate stands as a testament to ancient engineering. It shows the importance of the Grand Canal. Its remains offer a glimpse into China’s rich history. It reminds us of the emperors, laborers, and engineers. They shaped the waterways. They shaped the destiny of a nation.