Introduction
Currently, Tainan City preserves four city gates: Yue-Yue Gate, Great East Gate), Great South Gate, and Small West Gate. Among them, the Taiwan Prefecture City Great South Gate, also known as Ningnan Gate, is located within Nanmen Park on Nanmen Road, directly in front of the Confucius Temple. It is designated as a national third-class historic site.
In the third year of the Yongzheng reign (1725), the magistrate supervised the construction of the city, establishing the Great South Gate in front of the Wenmiao (Confucius Temple). The original design featured earthen walls; however, considering the frequent rains during spring and summer that made maintenance challenging, it was reconstructed in the fifty-third year of the Qianlong reign (1788) using a mixture of lime, sand, and glutinous rice, and the gate was remodeled into a two-story structure similar to the Great East Gate. The outer walls of the Great South Gate form a semicircular shape, also known as a barbican. This design provided a significant defensive advantage.
During the Japanese colonial period, many city gates were demolished, but the Great South Gate survived. However, it was damaged during a storm and only partially remained. After restoration efforts in 1999, the Great South Gate was rebuilt according to its original design, resulting in the structure seen today.
Today, the area surrounding the Great South Gate has been developed into a small park. It is common to see locals gathering under the old banyan trees to chat, play chess, or relax, making it a pleasant spot for leisure and conversation.
