| | | Old Fongshan City Wall Historic Route: A Time-honored Cultural Corridor | ◎Written by Hou Ya-ting, Naru
◎English Translation by Lin Yu-ciao
◎Photo by Lai Jian-yu
◎Photos by Huang Jing-wun, Chang Chien Cheng-en
◎Photos courtesy of Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Kaohsiung City Government |
Following a seven-year renovation effort, the approximately 770-meter-long Old Fongshan City Wall Historic Route（見城之道）, near Lotus Pond（蓮池潭）in Kaohsiung's Zuoying District, was opened to the public in March this year.
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While strolling along the route, which is at the foot of Gueishan（龜山, Turtle Mountain）, visitors can take in picturesque scenes where the ancient town connects the mountains and the lake, forming a stunning landscape. The Old Fongshan City Wall Historic Route brings the historical charm of the old city of Zuoying to life, reviving long-forgotten memories of these characterful neighborhoods.
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In 1722, the governor of Fongshan County (which administered much of modern-day Kaohsiung and Pingtung) built the first city wall made of mud. Constructed near Sheshan（蛇山, Snake Mountain）and Gueishan, the fortress quickly emerged as a political and economic center. However, the battlements were destroyed during an uprising. From 1825 to 1826, they were rebuilt using stone.
The Old Fongshan City Wall Historic Route bridges the divide that resulted from the construction of Shengli Road（勝利路）, when a hole was punched through the wall and adjacent Gueishan. Starting from the old center of Fongshan, the route extends northward, crossing woodlands and parking lots along the old city wall, then connecting to existing trails on both Big Gueishan and Small Gueishan. From the observation deck on the Small Guishan trail, there are postcard-quality views over Lotus Pond.
From the Old Fongshan City Wall Historic Route, one can overlook the ancient city walls. Some sections of the route feature glass curtain walls with site descriptions printed on the glass that make up some of the route's protective walls. While exploring the route, it is worth visiting the North Gate wall, the East Gate moat, and the West Gate Ruins Park（西門遺址公園）. The East Gate has a 500-meter-long moat just outside the city wall. It was replenished with water from Lotus Pond in 2020, finally restoring it as a water-filled landscape feature.
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The sturdy stone walls and moat of the East Gate have nurtured a unique cultural settlement within the old city. In the West Gate Ruins Park, remnants of the original gate and wall are preserved alongside more recent air-raid shelters and former military dependents' housing. Because space was lacking, some military dependents' houses were built up against and incorporate parts of the ancient city walls.
The integration of the ancient town into modern people's lives has brought into being a unique cultural scenery. The positive attitude of Kaohsiung's population toward historical sites has made this place shine brightly.
| The Center of Old Fongshan City History
見城館
No. 157-2, Gueishan Ln., Zuoying Dist., Kaohsiung City
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