City walls in Shangqiu, Ancient defensive fortification in Suiyang District, China.

The city walls of Shangqiu in Suiyang District consist of two enclosures: an outer earthen wall, roughly circular with a perimeter of 8,000 metres, and an inner brick wall, roughly rectangular with a perimeter of 4,355 metres. Apart from the gate towers, the walls, the surrounding city lake and the street layout inside the old city survive intact.

The original wall was destroyed by a flood in 1502, during the 15th year of the Ming Hongzhi reign. In 1511, the sixth year of the Zhengde reign, it was rebuilt north of the old city. The surviving earthen and brick walls, the city lake and the street layout inside date from this Ming reconstruction.

The name Guīdé Fǔ Chéngqiáng refers to the walled seat of Guīdé Prefecture, and the old street grid inside the brick circuit still follows its Ming layout. The city lake rings the outer earthen rampart, and the wall is a protected national site where residents walk the surviving stretches.

Visitors can enter the walls at several designated points and should wear sturdy shoes as some sections have uneven surfaces. Walking the full length takes several hours, so allow plenty of time for your visit.

The walls have two circuits: an outer earthen rampart, nearly circular and 8 km around, and an inner brick wall, roughly rectangular and 4,355 m long. The brick wall was rebuilt in 1511, after the 1502 flood destroyed the earlier Ming wall; the city was re-founded north of the old site.