Gěchéng

Gecheng was the old name of Anzhou, west of Xinan in the Baiyangdian country of northern China. The two towns remained distinct administrative centres through centuries of changes to their boundaries and rank. Gecheng's position beside this network of lakes and rivers gave water a direct place in the town's built history. During the middle of the Wanli reign, its walls were rebuilt with large bricks over a compacted lime-earth foundation. Local tradition held that closing the gates could keep floodwater outside.

The walled town also belonged to the scholarly culture of the capital region. The Chen family's three successful metropolitan examination graduates became a notable part of Anzhou's Qing history. Official service and examination learning thus accompanied the practical work of maintaining a settlement among waterways. The old name Gecheng and the later name Anzhou referred to this same town, rather than to the separate county seat at Xinan.