Built in 514 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period by order of King Helü of Wu, the Xiangmen wall (literally meaning "Gate Facing the Sun") was one of eight main gates in Suzhou`s city fortifications. At its peak during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the wall stretched 15 km around the city.
Xiangmen Fortress Wall:
• Reached 11 meters in height with 5-meter-thick rammed earth core
• Featured double towers and archer platforms
• Was protected by a 10-meter-wide moat connected to the Grand Canal
The wall withstood 12 major sieges, including:
• Mongol invasions (13th century)
• Taiping Rebellion (1860)
• Japanese occupation (1937)
What Remains Today
After centuries of destruction, the restored 1.5 km section at Xiangmen offers:
1. The Wall Itself
• Authentic Ming-era bricks with craftsmen`s marks (visible near the eastern watchtower)
• Original stone foundations on the southern section
• Reconstructed battlements with arrow slits
2. Xiangmen Gate Complex
Main Gate Tower: 3-story wooden structure (2012 reconstruction) containing:
• Bronze models of defensive structures
• Interactive siege simulation screens
Night illumination (golden lighting after sunset)
• Water Gate: Rare double gates allowing boats to pass beneath the wall
3. Surrounding Area
Moat Promenade: 800-meter walking path featuring:
• Life-size replica catapults
• Willow-lined docks for tourist boats
Ancient Rampart Garden displaying:
• Excavated iron cannonballs
• Song Dynasty stone carvings discovered during restoration
Xiangmen Wall Museum
• Location: 2nd floor of the gate tower
• Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (closed Mondays)
• Admission: ¥15 (includes wall access)
Main Exhibits:
• Bronze swords from the Warring States period - from the Wu Kingdom garrison
• Scale model - shows Suzhou`s Ming Dynasty layout with 8 gates
• Brick-making exhibition - technology for firing 2-ton blocks
• Battle paintings - depictions of sieges during the Taiping Rebellion (18th century)
How to Get There
Metro: Line 1, "Xiangmen" Station (Exit 4), 3-minute walk
Taxi: Show the driver "相门古城墙" (Xiāngmén Gǔchéngqiáng)
Tip: Arrive around 16:00 to:
• Visit the museum before closing
• Watch the sunset from the wall
• See the light show (nightly from April to October at 19:30)
This 2,500-year-old sentinel combines:
• Military archaeology (authentic artifacts)
• Living history (costumed reenactments during holidays)
• Modern technology (earthquake-resistant restoration methods)
More than just stone - it`s a three-dimensional chronicle of Suzhou.
Note on the Name:
On maps, this landmark is often mistakenly called "Western Gate," though the wall is actually located in eastern Old Suzhou. The confusion stems from Xiangmen (相门) literally means "Facing/Reciprocal Gate". Western cartographers incorrectly translated the character 相 (xiāng) as "western". 19th century British travel guides erroneously recorded it as "Western Gate," while the actual West Gate was near Shantang Market.
