Atlas
Qiantang Seawall
Hundreds of kilometers of stone seawall lying like a dragon — precision mortise-and-tenon joinery resisting violent tidal bores, defending the security of Jiangnan's wealthiest region.
Prefecture: Jiaxing
Province: ZhejiangA sweeping stone seawall separates foaming tidal water from green fields and tiled village houses, with wooded hills fading into mist beyond.
Infrastructure3
- Haining Yanguan Fish-Scale Stone Seawall
Laid in staggered courses and clamped with iron, the five-tiered fish-scale stone seawall at Yanguan withstands what is called the world's mightiest tidal bore.
- Xiaoshan Ancient Seawall in Hangzhou
Along the south bank of the Qiantang, the Xiaoshan seawall held back tidal floods, protecting the prosperous farmland and towns behind it.
- King Qian Shooting Tide Monument & Seawall
This monument pavilion and site honour Qian Liu, King of Wuyue, who pioneered stone-filled bamboo cages to build seawalls against the tide.
In its history3
- Qian Liu852–932 CE
Part of Qiantang Seawall's history: Wuyue Peace & Jiangnan Prosperity. Founder of the Wuyue kingdom, a salt smuggler turned general who seized the two Zhe circuits from Dong Chang and was made King of Wuyue by the Later Liang
- Wang Shenzhi862–925 CE
Part of Qiantang Seawall's history: Wuyue Peace & Jiangnan Prosperity. Founder of the Min state in Fujian who followed his brother Wang Chao south, became military governor at Fuzhou, and was named King of Min by the Later Liang in 909
- Qian Hongchu929–988 CE
Part of Qiantang Seawall's history: Wuyue Peace & Jiangnan Prosperity. Last king of Wuyue, grandson of Qian Liu, who ruled for thirty years as a vassal of the northern courts and in 978 handed his thirteen prefectures to the Song without a fight
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms2
- Wuyue Peace & Jiangnan Prosperity
Qian Liu's protect-the-realm policy limited Wu-Yue's involvement in warlord conflict and gave Hangzhou a comparatively stable setting for economic growth.
- Qian Liu Builds the Hangzhou Seawall910 CE
In 910, Wuyue King Qian Liu built a bamboo-cage stone seawall at Hangzhou to reduce tidal erosion and inundation.
Qing1
- Qianlong Inspects Haining's Seawall in 17651765 CE
During his 1765 southern tour, Qianlong inspected the Qiantang seawall at Haining, where records describe fish-scale stone seawalls and coastal defense works.