Zhonghua Gate (Chinese Gate) is the south gate of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. As a precious  cultural relic, Zhonghua Gate has the double distinction of being the biggest castle-style city gate in China and a structural element of the most complicated castle in the world. It is the castle's magnificent scale, delicate structure, and the great skill with which it was built that bequeath it an important place in China's military and architectural traditions. The gate today known as the Zhonghua Gate was then known as Jubao Gate (literally "Gathering Treasure 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 13 gates of Nanjing. The gate was made of huge strip stones and large Chinese brick. Zhonghua Gate has weathered wind and rain for 600 years. It still holds its original state except for the wooden structure that was destroyed and some features on the wall constructed of sticks and stones. It is rare site in the world because of its vast scale and unsophisticated style. |
