Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2019.00724 |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Description |
Ancient Gate at Nanking in 1902 Historic Background - The city wall of Nanjing was built from 1360 to 1386 under the founder of the Ming dynasty, the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang was crowned Emperor, and made Nanjing his capital. The southern and eastern sections of the old city wall from the Tang dynasty were incorporated into the new wall. The northern and eastern sections were built afresh. The city wall was 33.676 kilometres long. It was 14–21 m high; 14.5m thick at its base, and 4.9m thick at the top. Thirteen gates were built into the wall, and the enclosed area was the largest of any walled city in China. The gate today known as the Gate of China was then known as Jubao Gate It was built on the site of the south gate of the capital city of the Southern Tang dynasty. It was the largest among the thirteen gates of Nanjing. In 1931, after the Republic of China government established Nanjing as its capital, the gate was renamed the Gate of China. In one sense, this reflects the triumph of the southern factions led by Chiang Kai-shek over the northern factions of the Beiyang government in Beijing, who had named the southern (main) gate of Beijing "Gate of China" to signify its status as "gate of the nation". |
Date |
1902 |
Photographer |
Dr. William Edgar Geil |
Title |
Ancient Gate at Nanking |
Copyright |
Doylestown Historical Society |
Collection |
WM. Edgar Geil Collection |
Cataloged by |
Tony Palazzolo |
Orig/copy |
Copy |