Weiyuan Fort

{{Short description|Chinese coastal defense fort in Dongguan}} {{Infobox Chinese |order=st |s=威远炮台 |t=威遠砲台 |p=Wēiyuǎn Pàotái |altname=Humen Fort |s2=虎门炮台 |t2=虎門炮台 |p2=Hǔmén Pàotái }} [[File:Humen Bridge-5.jpg|300px|thumb|Weiyuan Fort in 2010]]

'''Weiyuan Fort''' ({{zh|s=威远炮台}}) is a coastal-defense fort, now in ruins, in [[Humen Town|Humen]], [[Dongguan|Dongguan city]], [[Guangdong|Guangdong province]], [[China]]. The fort was constructed in 1835 and was in use during the [[Opium Wars]]. The fort is situated immediately under the [[Humen Bridge]]. There were 44 cannons there to defend against the British, 40 dark artillery and four open fort. It is 360 meters in length. Admission is free, with valid documents.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://sh.sina.com.cn/lvyou/weiyuanpaotai/index.html | title=威远炮台 | accessdate=25 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://chanyouji.com/attractions/trips/18856-weiyuan-fort | title=威远炮台-Weiyuan Fort | accessdate=25 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.chinahotel.com.cn/ch_scenic_info.php?sl41_No=1552 | title=The Weiyuan Fort | accessdate=25 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://dongguan.cncn.com/jingdian/weiyuanpaotai/ | title=东莞威远炮台 | accessdate=25 June 2016}}</ref> {{TOC limit|2}}

==History== [[File:The Vulture at Bocca Tigris.jpg|thumb|[[HMS Vulture (1843)|HMS ''Vulture'']] passing the fort after the [[Expedition to Canton]] in 1847]] [[File:Dongguan004.jpg|thumb|Inside view, 2006]] [[File:Interior of Anunghoy.jpg|thumb|Interior of the fort in ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'', 21 February 1857]] Plans for Weiyuan Fort was drawn up in 1834 as part of efforts by the [[Qing dynasty|Qing government]] to fortify the defense of [[Humen|Humen strait]] in the [[Pearl River Delta]]. After the construction of four major forts along the straits, [[Lu Kun]] suggested that another fort be constructed in the style of a crossed platform ({{zh|c=横档月台|labels=no}}), which was Weiyuan Fort. At the same time, Yong'an Fort ({{zh|c=永安炮台|labels=no}}) was built on the western end of an island in the strait and Gonggu Fort ({{zh|c=巩固炮台|labels=no}}) was constructed on the opposite bank in the foothills of Luwan Mountain ({{zh|c=芦湾山|labels=no}}).{{sfnp|Guo|Zhu|2012|p=77}} Weiyuan Fort was captured in the [[Battle of the Bogue|1841 Battle of the Bogue]], 1847 [[Expedition to Canton]], and [[Battle of the Bogue (1856)|1856 Battle of the Bogue]].

During [[Sun Yat-sen]]'s [[Constitutional Protection Movement|Constitutional Protection Military Government]] of Guangzhou, [[Gong Zhenzhou]] served as the commander-in-chief of the Humen Fortress.<ref name="hf">{{Cite web |title=龚镇洲，中国合肥，2011年05月16日 |url=http://www.hefei.gov.cn/n1070/n304695/n19550395/n19550510/19629005.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719054329/http://www.hefei.gov.cn/n1070/n304695/n19550395/n19550510/19629005.html |archive-date=2013-07-19 |access-date=2013-05-17}}</ref><ref name="cjw">{{Cite web |title=新中国首批驻外女大使之一龚普生逝世，财经网，2007-08-31 |url=http://www.caijing.com.cn/2007-08-31/100028731.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304115135/http://www.caijing.com.cn/2007-08-31/100028731.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 |access-date=2013-05-17}}</ref> [[File:Soong Ching-ling at Humen Fort.jpg|thumb|[[Soong Ching-ling|Madame Sun Yat-sen]] at Weiyuan Fort]]

==References== ===Notes=== {{Reflist}}

===Works cited=== *{{cite journal | title=清代的虎门防御体系与第一次鸦片战争 | trans-title=HumeThe Qing dynasty Defence System at Humen and the First Opium War | language=Chinese |last1= Guo | first1=Huaqing 华清 | last2=Zhu | first2= Xixue 西学 | journal=Journal of Guangzhou University (Social Science Edition) | volume=11 | issue = 12 | date=2012 | pages=76–83}}

== External links == {{Commons-inline}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dongguan]] [[Category:Forts in China]]