Grassland gate

Grassland gate

Caochangmen, located in the west of Nanjing, is one of the city gates added in the Ming Dynasty and the late Qing Dynasty. Grassland gate is named for its large grassland in the city, between dinghuai gate and Qingliang gate. Nearby are Nanjing Art College, Jiangsu Second Normal University, Hehai University and other universities. Caochangmen Street passes through Caochangmen bridge to reach Longjiang, Zhongbao village and other areas in Hexi.

In 1908, it was convenient to reach the wharf of Qinhuai River for transportation. Between Qingliang gate and dinghuai gate in the west of the city, a grassland gate was opened. The gate is a single arch structure with a depth of about 20 meters and a width of about 6 meters.

In 1950's and 1960's, the movement of demolishing cities spread to Nanjing. In 1954, the city gate of Caochangmen was demolished. Caochangmen is the first city gate to be demolished in Ming Dynasty of Nanjing, and Caochangmen is still used as a place name. Its former site is located near the east bus station of jincaochangmen bridge.

Caochangmen square is located at the intersection of Huju Road, Beijing West Road and Caochangmen street in Gulou District of Nanjing city. Caochangmen bridge is an east-west urban bridge connecting the main city and Hexi area on Caochangmen street, crossing the outer Qinhuai River.

summary

Caochangmen is one of the gates of Nanjing city wall in the first half of the 20th century. It is located in the west section of Nanjing city wall, east of the moat at the east end of Caochangmen street. Guangxu 34 years (1908) for transportation needs. It was demolished in 1958. Caochangmen square, Caochangmen street and Caochangmen bridge all use the name "Caochangmen". Caochangmen square is located at the intersection of Huju Road, Beijing West Road and Caochangmen street in Gulou District of Nanjing city. Caochangmen bridge is an east-west urban bridge connecting the main city and Hexi area on Caochangmen street, crossing the outer Qinhuai River.

Today's Caochangmen is actually a place name. At the end of Beijing West Road are the famous Nanjing Art Institute and Jiangsu second normal university

Reasons for demolition

Before the demolition, the city gate was blocked for many years, and the surrounding area was desolate. In the early days of the founding of the people's Republic of China, there was a lack of materials. In order to build socialism more quickly, better and more economically, all the cadres and masses of a construction company in Nanjing fought day and night on the construction site. Due to the rapid progress of the project, there was a shortage of bricks. Some people suddenly had a fancy and focused on the city bricks near the grassland gate. Why not demolish the city Bricks can be used to solve the urgent problem. A city brick can be seven or eight small green bricks lower, and a section of the city wall can build many buildings. Therefore, the full reason for the report is to "turn waste into treasure" and "make the past serve the present". It also gives examples of other cities demolishing cities. After thinking for a long time, the leaders finally agreed to this "good deed", and the destruction of the Nanjing city wall began.

On demolition

In March 1953, Hui Yuyu, the mayor of Nanjing, asked Nanjing Municipal Bureau of works to open four gates, namely dinghuai gate, Zhongfu gate, Wuding gate and caochang gate. The Works Bureau then opened the first three gates one after another. However, due to the fact that part of the arches of the gate had to be removed and some of the remaining arches had to be equipped with safety facilities, most of the work was technical in nature. That is to say, the demolition of the city arches was also carried out at a high level, which was not up to the relief workers. On March 21, the Municipal Bureau of works proposed to submit a copy of the budget to the municipal government, which is to invite all investors to undertake. On March 28 of the same year, the Municipal Construction Committee

For the reasons requested by the Italian Works Bureau, the funds shall be approved and paid by the Municipal Finance Committee. On September 12, 1953, in the demolition project of Caochangmen, the dangerous place 6 meters outside the city wall was demolished. It was found that the top of the remaining arch ring of the city gate was in a very bad condition, and the collar leakage was very serious when it rained. In consideration of the capital construction project of Beijing Road Tongda Caochangmen in 1954, the Bureau of works proposed that it is dangerous to use bamboo fence to support the residual arch ring in the original plan of demolishing the Caochangmen. It is suggested that the residual arch ring of the Caochangmen should be demolished without increasing the budget (the East China electric power engineering school should purchase the demolished wall building materials). With the consent of Vice Mayor Chen Liping of Nanjing, the arch ring of grassland gate was removed. On October 7, 1953, Hui Yuyu, director of Nanjing Municipal Construction Committee, put forward in his reply to the Municipal Public Works Bureau: "only to prevent uneven and prone to collapse after demolition, can your bureau continue to level the walls on both sides for safety." On December 11, 1953, the Nanjing municipal cultural relics preservation Committee handed over to the Nanjing Municipal Construction Committee "to inform the provincial government that it does not agree to demolish the grassland gate, please check the reasons for implementation", which quoted the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Administration's Letter No. 2296 on December 9: "we now receive the provincial government's reply No. 8387:" we do not agree to demolish the grassland gate. In order to facilitate air defense traffic, we can remove the arch gate The gate has been changed into a square gate, which is made of brick and wood on all sides. The cost is not much, and the whole picture of the ancient city is preserved. I hope to study and implement it. "However," the gate industry of the grassland was demolished with the instruction of Vice Mayor Chen (Liping) "(the gate was demolished 30 meters in November 1953). Therefore, Tian Lantian's instruction was:" this article is for the public works bureau to read and save. "

On July 31, 1954, in the investigation of the damage of the Nanjing city wall, it was found that "the gate of Caochangmen is about 20 meters deep and 6 meters wide, and the upper part of the brick arch has been removed. The arch stands on the wall, and the south part leans outward. There are many other dangers, which are very dangerous. There's a crack in the middle. Although the inner and outer sides of the gate have been demolished into terraces, the slope is not enough and is in danger. " Suggestion: "the demolition should be continued until there is no danger. The volume is about 320 cubic meters. " Finally, the grassland gate and the nearby city wall were demolished, totaling 30 meters.

geographical position

Address: Caochangmen, Gulou District, Nanjing

Longitude: 118.73923002138

Latitude: 32.057073369042

Chinese PinYin : Cao Chang Men