A double-exposure picture taken with an app on a mobile phone brings past and present together. Photo: Simon Song

Beijing’s lost Inner City revealed: photographer recreates ancient gateways to the Qing dynasty

The ghosts of the Qing dynasty’s architectural glory rise once again above its modern day buildings thanks to technology and a keen eye

Simon Songin Beijing

Published: 10:48pm, 5 Jan 2016

Why you can trust SCMP

China’s transformation has been elegantly displayed in pictures by showing what’s missing, in this series shot with an iPhone in Beijing. South China Morning Post photographer Simon Song went to the former sites of ancient gates of the Inner City, which protected the palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties (14th to 19th centuries). Beijing’s no. 2 subway line follows the path of the inner city’s former walls, and now readers can too with the included map and these ghostly images.

1. Deshengmen Gate Tower

First stop: the demolished Deshengmen Gate Tower and the existing embrasured watchtower at the Deshengmen area. The gate tower was demolished in 1921. This is one of the two embrasured watchtowers still existing among the nine old city gates of Beijing's Inner City. Beijing's old city gates were not only the exits and entrances of cities, but also defence installations, including the gate towers, enclosure, watchtowers, and lock towers. Photo: Simon Song

Due to the wars after the fall of the Qing dynasty, as well as the city development, the city gates were not well maintained and many of the enclosures and embrasured watchtowers were destroyed due to road and railway construction, or other urban development projects. In 1950s and ‘60s, most gate towers were demolished when the subway was built.

The layout of Beijing in Ming and Qing dynasties was made up of three parts: the Imperial City, Inner City and Outer City. The Imperial City is at the core within the Inner City. The Outer city is south of the Inner City.

The Inner City has the Zhengyangmen Gate, Chongwenmen Gate, Xuanwumen Gate, Fuchengmen Gate, Xizhimen Gate, Deshengmen Gate, Andingmen Gate, Dongzhimen Gate, and Chaoyangmen Gate.

Only the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower and embrasured watchtower, and the Deshengmen embrasured watchtower still stand. Beijing’s No.2 loop line subway is built right under the old Inner City line.

2. Andingmen Gate Tower

The demolished Andingmen Gate Tower looms over the Andingmen flyover of Beijing's Second Ring Road in this double exposure shot captured with an iPhone. Both Andingmen Gate's gate tower and embrasured watchtower were demolished in 1969, when Beijing's No. 2 loop line subway system was built. Photo: Simon Song

3. Dongzhimen Gate Tower

The demolished Dongzhimen Gate Tower overlaid on the Dongzhimen area, where the old city gate used to be located. Dongzhimen gate tower was demolished in 1965. Photo: Simon Song

4. Chaoyangmen Gate Tower

The demolished Chaoyangmen Gate Tower over the Changyangmen area. Chaoyangmen gate tower was demolished in 1953. Photo: Simon Song

5. Chongwenmen Gate Tower

The Chongwenmen Gate Tower, demolished since 1968, and Chongwenmen area which replaced it. Photo: Simon Song

6. Zhengyangmen Gate Tower

The Zhengyangmen gate tower and its embrasured watchtower at the southern end of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Zhengyangmen Gate is the only one where both the gate tower and the embrasured watchtower still exist among the nine city gates of old Beijing's Inner City. Photo: Simon Song

7. Xuanwumen Gate Tower

The demolished Xuanwumen Gate Tower and Xuanwumen area. Xuanwumen tower was demolished in 1965. Photo: Simon Song

8. Fuchengmen Gate Tower

The demolished Fuchengmen Gate Tower and Fuchengmen area. The gate was demolished in 1965. Photo: Simon Song

9. Xizhimen Gate Tower

The demolished Xizhimen Gate Tower and Xizhimen area, where the gate tower used to be. Xizhimen gate tower was demolished in 1969 when Beijing's No. 2 loop line subway was built. Photo: Simon Song

Post