Guānchéng

Guancheng was the walled seat of Guan County on the western Shandong plain. Its earlier earthen walls enclosed a town with four gates and a moat. In 1542 the magistrate Yao Ben strengthened its defences with a long protective embankment and four additional towers. Later Ming officials repaired the gate towers and faced the walls with brick, work completed in stages as successive magistrates took office. The defences were repaired again under the Qing.