Zhangbi Castle 张壁古堡

About Zhangbi Castle

Ravines protect three sides, while the north gate's offset entrances explain the importance of controlling movement. Beneath the village lies a multi-level tunnel system, distinct from the courtyards and shrines above. Its founding date is uncertain, so the physical relationship between gates, streets and underground passages is more useful than treating one origin legend as established history.

Zhangbi Castle's walls form a plan shaped like the character for 'convex', projecting outward at the north, and measure 374 metres east to west and 244 metres north to south; the north gate is protected by a barbican. A north-south street paved with stone slabs runs through the centre of the fort, flanked by temples such as the Kehan Temple (可罕庙) and the Erlang Temple (二郎庙) and by dozens of Ming- and Qing-dynasty houses. Zhangbi Castle was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 2006.

What to look for

• The north gate and barbican, where offset openings reveal the defensive layout.
• The stone-paved village street, temple precincts and the permitted sections of the underground tunnel system.

Location & getting there

Getting to Zhangbi Castle

Approach Zhangbi Village in Longfeng Town, Jiexiu, and enter through the managed visitor route.

• Use only the opened tunnel sections and the site's guided or marked circulation; surface access does not imply all tunnels are accessible.