Zhenhai lies in the middle of coastal line of East sea of China and the mouth of Yongjiang River. The transportation between Zhenhai to Hangzhou and Suzhou is convenient via Yongjiang River. With Shandong Province to its north and Fujian and Guangdong Province to its south, Zhenhai is an important place with flourishing business and shipping industry. The couplet inscribed at Banshan Pavilion says, “Hundreds of ships are eager to sail to the foreign sea and Zhaobao Mount invites the treasure and enriches the middle land”. It can be regarded as a vivid reflection of the prosperity of shipping industry in history. Zhenhai, as an important military site historically, has always been named as an important coastal town and the throat of Zhejiang Province. It is recorded that Zhenhai had witnessed 46 battles of various types since Eastern Jin Dynasty. Since the middle period of Ming Dynasty, Zhenhai withstood many wars of resistance against foreign aggression by Britain, French, and Japan and left us many heroic and moving deeds and precious relics of coastal defense works. In the area of less than 2 square kilometers around the river mouth, there are over 30 sites of coastal defense works left from different historical periods. Now Zhanhai Relics of Coastal Defense Works have been listed in the 100 national Patriotism Educational Bases, National Educational Bases for Teenagers, Provincial Patriotism Educational Bases, Provincial Educational Base of National Defense, and Provincial Patriotism Educational Bases for Women. In November, 1996, they are honored as the national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council.

Zhenhai Seaport Coastal Defense Historical Memorial Hall is located in the foothill of Zhaobao Mount, the original battle field in history, covering an area of 2000 square meters and a total floor space of 3200 square meters with an investment of 21,000,000 yuan in total. Its overall design was achieved by Professor Qi Kang, the modern Architect and Academician of the China Scientific Academy and the internal exhibition style and layout was schemed by Professor Fei Qinsheng, deputy director of Committee of Memorial Museums of Chinese Society of Museums. President Jiang Zemin inscribed the Epigraph for the Memorial Hall.

During the middle period of Ming Dynasty, the Japanese pirates colluded with illegal merchants and made consecutive harassments in the areas of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong Province. They committed crimes of all types including attacking the city, reaving the strongholds, killing civilians, setting fires, raping and plundering. The harassments of the Japanese arose fierce resistance of the military army and civilians in Zhejiang Province. The government of Ming’s Court appointed grand army to exterminate the Japanese pirates. The famous generals such as Lu Tang, Yu Dayou, and Qi Jiguang guarded Zhenhai successively and built up Weiyuan Town at Zhaobao Mount. They were engaged in fierce battles against the Japanese pirates repeatedly and gained prestige all across the country.

During the First Opium War period, Zhou Shan was lost to the enemy and Zhenhai became the outpost position of anti-English war.Ge Yunfei, the renowned anti- English military officer, once was responsible for the defense of Zhenhai; Lin Zexu, the outstanding national hero and Yu Qian, the imperial envoy were present at the town to supervise combat. The patriotic soldiers and civilians shared a common hatred and were engaged in bloody battles against English armed forces. All these obviously showed their national moral integrity and courage. During the period of anti-French war, Guba, the French Far East Armada Commander, led its army to trespass on Zhenhai Seaport.Such officials including Liu Bingzhang, the Grand Coordinator of Zhejiang Province, Ouyang Lijian, the official of Zhejiang province, Xue Fucheng, the officer of Ningbo and Shaoxing were leading the army to resist the enemies. Wu Jie, the guard of emplacement operated the artillery himself and severely wounded the army of Guba, which forced the enemy to retreat and brought their attempt of threatening the capital of China to an end. During Zhenhai Battle of Anti-French War, they witnessed several victories of considerate scale and wrote a glorious chapter in the history of resistance war of foreign invasion. In anti-Japanese war of the last century, the civilians and army of Zhenhai also repelled many attacks of Japanese forces. On July 17, 1940, the Japanese invadingarmy landed on Zhenhai from the city gate and the Beilun Harbor.

The civilians and army of Zhenhai involved them into harsh combats against the invaders, wounding and killing the enemies of more than 400, which caused the enemy into a panic retreat. On the land of heroes, patriotic personages of one generation after another generation have agglomerated national spirit of non-fearing of ferocious adversary, stubborn resistance of foreign invasion and constant striving for self-improvement with their own flesh and blood, leaving a vivid teaching materials of patriotism for us –Zhanhai Relics of Coastal Defense Works.

Presently there are more than 30 relics of coastal defense in Zhenhai, mainly lying in the area of less than 2 square kilometers around Zhaobao Mount. In the north of Zhenhai Port, there are important scenic spots left by people’s resistance of Japanese pirates in Zhejiang province in Ming Dynasty, namely Weiyuan Town, the city of Moon, Anyuan Battery, Location of Martyrdom, the steles of Ming and Qing Dynasty and the Houhaitang Relics. The Houhaitang Relics bear the combination of seawall and city wall which can fend off the sea tides as well as marine invaders. The city wall was made up of bulk flagstones magnificently winding for thousands of meters. In the south of Zhenhai Port, there are such scenic spots as Tuwang Platform at the top of Golden Rooster Mount, Jingyuan Battery, Hongyuan Battery, and Camps & Ramparts of Qi’s. The relics of Coastal defense works of such intensity are very rare in the whole country. They are historic monuments built up with the flesh and blood of our ancestors, simultaneously recoding the countless crimes committed by the foreign invaders. In addition to the above mentioned sites, there are also inscriptions made by military and political officials of different historical periods, the locations of martyrdom, the landing positions of foreign invading armies and cultural relics like weapons and other historical materials such as records and books.

 Zhanhai Relics of Coastal Defense Works forms an important part of Chinese outstanding history and culture, which symbolizes vivid teaching materials for the patriotism education of teenagers. The people always cherish the cultural and historical relics and the corresponding spiritual values behind them. Since 1986, the district committee and government has been investing more than 7 million yuan for the rebuilding and re-fix of the relics of coastal defense works. In February, 1994, the district committee and government of Zhenhai made the decision of protective construction and development of Zhenhai Relics of Coastal Defense Works and the establishment of Zhenhai Seaport Coastal Defense Memorial Hall, which received wide support from the people of Zhenhai. Within the subsequent several months, the people of Zhenhai made spontaneous donation of more than 10,000 yuan for the protection of relics of coastal defense and construction of Zhenhai Seaport Coastal Defense Memorial Hall. The project attracted the highly attention from the Central government, the Provincial Committee of CPC and the Provincial Government. President Jiang Zeming inscribed the name in person for Zhenhai Seaport Coastal Defense Memorial Hall. Qiao Shi, the former Standing Committee member of Central Political Bureau of CPC, Hu Sheng, Yang Rudai, Vice Chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Zhang Zhen, and former Vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission also inscribed the Epigraph for the Memorial Hall. In 1996, Zhenhai Seaport Coastal Defense Memorial Hall was billed as the national key cultural relic protection unit.

Now there are more than 30 relics of coastal defense in Zhenhai, mainly lying in the area of less than 2 square kilometers around Zhaobao Mount. In the north of Zhenhai Port, there are important scenic spots left by people’s resistance of Japanese pirates in Zhejiang province in Ming Dynasty, namely Weiyuan Town, the city of Moon, Anyuan Battery, Location of Martyrdom, the steles of Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Houhaitang Relics. The Houhaitang Relics indicate the combination of seawall and city wall which can fend off the sea tides as well as marine invaders. The city wall was made up of bulk flagstones magnificently winding for thousands of meters. In the south of Zhenhai Port, there are such scenic spots as Tuwang Platform at the top of Golden Rooster Mount, Jingyuan Battery, Hongyuan Battery, and Camps & Ramparts of Qi’s. The relics of Coastal defense works of such intensity are very rare in the whole country. They are historic monument built up with the flesh and blood of our ancestors, simultaneously recoding the countless crimes committed by the foreign invaders. In addition to the above mentioned sites, there are also inscriptions made by military and political officials of different historical periods, the locations of martyrdom, the landing positions of foreign invading armies and cultural relics like weapons and other historical materials such as records and books.

FenghuaRiver and Yuyao River is converged into Yongjiang River into the ocean in the urban area of Ningbo. In the sea entrance of Yongjiang River there stand Zhaobao Mount in the west and Golden Rooster Mount in the east. Both of the mountains hold strategic position for its steep cliffs and towering mountain ridges of magnificence and form clamping shape called the mouth of Zhenhai. Always called as the gateway to eastern Zhejiang and a coastal town of strategic importance, Zhenhai was one of the main battle fields of resistant war against foreign invasion and left us abundant historical relics of coastal defense. Compared with relics of coastal defense in other region, Zhanhai Relics of Coastal Defense Works are typical in its wide range, large amount and complete preservation. Besides this, the relics are well combined with various natural landscapes. The cultural relics can be viewed as historical witness to the national spirit of patriotism, non-fearing of ferocious adversary, stubborn resistance of foreign invasion and constant striving for self-improvement.

Zhanhai Relics of Coastal Defense Works consist of the northern and southern part along Yongjiang River, which integrates the Former Residence of Wu Jie,Monument and Memorial Pavilion of Lord Wu in Ziyin Hill, Pan Pool—the location of Yu Qian’s martyrdom, Goujin Prairie—the landing location of English Army, Weiyuan Town of Zhaobao Mount, the city of the Moon, the steles in Weiyuan Town, Anyuan Battery, Lookout of Golden Rooster Mount, Jingyuan Battery, Pingyuan Battery; Hongyuan Battery of Li Mount, Zhenyuan Battery of Little port and Camps & Ramparts of Qi’s. All the scenic spots turn into a whole system of scenery.

Introduction of the scenic spots

Former Residence of Wu Jie：Wu Jie (l837-19l0) ，styled Jiren, a native of She County in Anhui Province. Before the breakout of Sino-French war, Wu Jie was appointed for the guard of the batteries in Zhenhai port. On March 1, 1885, i.e. the 11th year of the reign of King Guanxu of Qing Dynasty, the French army forces invaded Zhenhai, Zhejiang Province. Wu Jie launched the artillery himself and severely wounded the French warship and its commander Guba. During the period of Sino-Japanese War of 1894, Wu Jie guarded the batteries of Zhenhai once again as the chief petty officer of the three Bureaus and protected Chief Officer of Zhejiang Province, making him famous all across the country.The former residence of his late years lies in the intersection of Shengli Road and Renmin Road at the city gate. It is composed of the gate, front hall, rear hall and side rooms. The front hall covers space of five rooms with double-eaved roof; the rear hall acts as the living room covering space of 3 rooms with corridors and double-eaved roof. All the buildings are preserved fairly well.

Monument and Memorial Pavilion of Lord Wu was built in 1936, the 25th year of Republic of China with the funding of Zhenhai people in memory of the 100th anniversary of Wu Jie’s Birth. The four posts of the pavilion were set at the top of Ziyin Mount with a monument standing in the pavilion describing the stories and deeds of Wu Jie.

Pan Pool, i.e. the location of Yu Qian’s martyrdom is located in Zhenhai Middle School. On October 10, 1841, Zhenhai was lost to the enemy in the Zhenhai Battle of the Sino- English Opium War. Yu Qian (l793--l84l), a Mongolian of Xianghuang ensign, was the governor of Zhejiang and Jiangsu Province and the imperial envoy. He threw himself into Pan Pool to protect the interest of Chinese. Yu Qian was the only official of Qing Government who died a martyr at the post during the period of the Sino- English Opium War

Goujin Prairie—the landing location of English Army. On October 10, 1841, i.e. August !6th of the 21st lunar year of King Daoguang of Qing Dynasty, English army landed on Zhenhai via here to attack Zhaobao Mount before they assaulted Golden Rooster Mount via the peak of Zhaobao Mount. After the occupation of Zhaobao Mount and Golden Rooster Mount by the enemy, English Army forces launched their artillery at the county and Zhenhai was lost to the enemy after the guard retreated.

WeiyuanTown. In 1560, i.e. the 39th year of the reign of King Jiajing in Ming Dynasty, Lu Tang, the provincial commander and Tan Lun, the deputy officer of coastal defense built the seawall against the harassment of Japanese pirates. In 1833, i.e. the 13th year of King Daoguang in Qing Dynsty, Guo Chunzhang, the court officer, rebuilt the city wall to fend off the attack by the English and French invaders.

The City of the Moon is located in the intersection of two north peaks of Zhaobao Mount, acting as an outpost position for Weiyuan Town. In 1883, i.e. the 9th year of King Guangxu’s reign in Qing Dynasty, it was built by Ouyang Lijian, who was the provincial commander of Zhejiang.

The steles in Weiyuan Town were placed in Weiyuan Town. The inscriptions on them were mostly given by the important political and military officials in Ming and Qing Dynasty. One of them was made by Ouyang Lijian in the 15th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty. On the stele the inscription of “protecting Baotuo Temple” recorded the situation of Zhenhai Battle in the Sino-French War with vital significance for historical research.

Anyuan Batter (Seen the picture on the right) was built in 1887, i.e. the 13th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty under the supervision of Du Guanying, the officer and Wu Jie, the general. It was achieved the next year with one set of steel Breech-loaded artillery.

Facing Zhaobao Mount across the river, Lookout of Golden Rooster Mount was the place of resistance against the foreign invaders governed by Ouyang Lijian.

Jingyuan Battery lies in the mouth of Shawan in the foothill of Golden Rooster Mount. It was built in 1880, i.e. the 6th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynsty with 5 sets of artillery and 5 camping rooms.

Built in 1887, i.e. the 12th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty, Pingyuan Battery is placed in the middle of the mountain ridge along the northeast direction of Golden Rooster Mount

Hongyuan Battery magnificently lies at the top of Li Hill as the first defense line for Zhenhai Seaport

Zhenyuan Battery was originally built in the 6th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty under the supervision of the officer Du Guanying.

Camps & Ramparts of Qi’s. Qi’s Hill is proximate to Golden Rooster Mount at the southwest corner of Shaxie Valley along the southern bank of Yongjiang River. Camps & Ramparts of Qi’s were built by Yang Chunhe, the town governor in 1881, i.e. the 7th year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty.