The "Mysterious Ancient Great Wall" of Guangzhou - Lianhuacheng

Lianhuacheng Ruins are located in Shilou Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou. In June of the third year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty (1664), the Qing Dynasty built it as a sentry post to prevent people from going to sea. During the Opium War, Qishan, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and Elliot, the British representative, secretly discussed the "Aftermath Regulations" ("Chuanbi Convention") here. In the fourth year of the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty (1854), the Red Turban Army stationed here. Lianhuacheng covers an area of about 10,207 square meters and is in an irregular oval shape. There are stone arch gates in the north and south, and the walls are built with blue bricks inside and outside. There are remains of piers, barracks, and stables in the city. It is a cultural relic protection unit in Guangdong Province. Lianhuacheng is a relic of the "sea ban" in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with a history of nearly 400 years. During the Opium War, Lianhuacheng witnessed the important history of British invaders invading and blackmailing Hong Kong. According to the "Panyu County Chronicle", on January 26, 1841, the British army occupied Hong Kong, and on January 27, Yi Lu forced Qishan to admit and sign an agreement in Lianhuacheng, but Qishan did not dare to agree. In August 1842, the Qing government was forced to sign the humiliating "Treaty of Nanking". Hong Kong was officially ceded. As the first negotiation point for the cession of Hong Kong, it recorded the history of the British occupation and extortion of Hong Kong. Today, Lianhuacheng has become an important research and practice base for primary and secondary school students in Guangdong Province. Lianhuacheng is located on the second peak of Lianhua Mountain. The plane of the city is slightly oval, with an area of about 1,400 square meters. The city wall is based on stone, built with blue bricks inside and outside, and filled with soil in the middle. It is 5.66 meters high and 2.34 meters thick. There are crenels and horse paths on the city wall for observation and patrol, and there are stone arch gates on the south and north sides. There were piers, barracks, and stables in the city, and there were beacon piers and 20 gun positions outside the city, which have now been submerged. Lianhuacheng is a historical witness of the coastal defense fortress and the Opium War in the Qing Dynasty.