Further Questions Regarding the Construction Time of Jiangang Tower

The tower overlooking Jiangang, Jiangang

Winter in Jiangang

Qiqihar's Longsha Park is located in the city center, located at No. 36 Park Road, with a total area of 64 hectares, of which the water area is 20 hectares. It is the largest comprehensive park in Northeast China.

Jiangang is located on the east bank of Labahuni Lake, north of the tower overlooking Jiangang. Currently, articles introducing Qiqihar Jiangang mainly say that it was built in the late Dumo of the Qing Dynasty (1907), when it was built south of the tower overlooking Jiangang, by Zhang Jizheng. Zhou Shimo, a prominent figure of the late Qing Dynasty, wrote a poem about Jiangang: 'Build a tower and sit on the layered terrace, open the windows to the river water…'

And I have always had doubts, the time of construction and the location of construction are always inconsistent with the descriptions in other materials. Is it worth questioning the time and location of its construction?!

Cheng Dequan was appointed as the Deputy Commander of Heilongjiang Province in 1903. In 1905, he was promoted to the Commander of Heilongjiang Province.

Longsha Park is recorded to have been built in 1907, commissioned by Commander Cheng Dequan through his aide, '' Zhang Chaotong, with 20,000 taels of official silver. The initial 'Warehouse West Park' occupied only 2 hectares, which is 1/10 of the current park's size, and its buildings were few. 'Dragon Sand Thousand Mile Pavilion' is an important building, with the inscription on the pavilion written by Governor Xu Shichang of the Three Eastern Provinces, taking 'riding long wind breaking thousand-mile waves' as its meaning. Another important building is the inscription of Cheng Dequan, 'Chuqing Muqing Hall'. There was also 'Dwelling on the Sparrow' and 'Facing the Seagulls' Boat', and only one octagonal pavilion was preserved at that time.

The above picture is a layout map of Longsha Park in 1907, which does not show Jiangang and Unruling Pavilion.

According to relevant records, in the 33rd year of the Qing Dynasty (1907), Commander Cheng Dequan requested the Russian Consul Office in Qiqihar (still existing in Longsha Park) to return the east half of the site of the old warehouse he was using, and ordered his aide Zhang Chaotong to design and build Warehouse West Park. Shortly thereafter, the park was established. Because the West Port was north of the park and separated by the Russian Consulate, it did not belong to Warehouse West Park.

After Warehouse West Park was completed, many administrations of Heilongjiang Province that came later continued to expand and renovate the park, and the West Port eventually became part of the park. Buildings such as pavilions, towers, bridges and garden ornaments were constructed. In 1908, Zhou Shimo, the Governor of Heilongjiang Province, commissioned Zhang Chaotong to further expand the park, 'carve a south ditch to divert water, cover the earth with mounds, and add towers to the top of the tower'. The tower on the top of the hill was named 'Unruling Pavilion'. Huang Ge Xiang in 'Longsha Park Record' said: 'Unruling Pavilion takes the meaning of 'desiring to fix the window and the door of the earth'.

The 'Wishing Pavilion' was originally a wooden structure, and was not renovated until 1930 to become a brick and wood structure, and was renamed Jiangang. So there was no Jiangang before 1930. And the Jiangang south of the tower has a 1930 year-built library and the Loyalty and Merit Shrine, which was built to commemorate General Han Guangdi and thousands of soldiers who made heroic sacrifices during the 'Mid-East Road Incident' in 1929. Jiangang is directly south of Unruling Pavilion, (the specific location of 'Warehouse West' and 'West Port' should be the current southwest of Labahuni Lake), why is the building named Jiangang? Do I think the records about 'Warehouse West' and 'West Port' should be the current southwest of Labahuni Lake. Is it necessary to name the buildings Jiangang?

In 1941, the layout map of Longsha Park, including Jiangang, Guardian Temple, Library, Loyalty and Merit Shrine, and Unruling Pavilion.

In 1941 (the picture is copied from the 8th year of the Pseudo-Manchu Kangde), the layout map of Longsha Park clearly shows Jiangang, Guardian Temple, Library, Loyalty and Merit Shrine and Unruling Pavilion, but not Jiangang.

I collect 120 camera photos.

I collect 120 camera photos.

The two plaques on the building are different in construction time and area. I am sorry for the park staff. One says 1982 and one says 1983; the area is either building area or land area, and it's impossible to unify them. It doesn't matter what happens in front of me, it's not worth questioning their investigation of the time of construction.

Jiangang on the lakeside.

The plaques hanging on Jiangang on the lake.

The two plaques on the same building have different construction times and areas. I am sorry for the park staff. One says 1982 and one says 1983; the area is either building area or land area, and it's impossible to unify them.

We can see Jiangang now is designed by Chinese architect Li Zheng, completed in 1986 (according to Li Zheng's record, the time on the park plaque is about the construction period), and the design won the Heilongjiang Provincial Golden Award for Excellent Design. Jiangang is a double-story pavilion with traditional Chinese style, with viewing platforms on both floors, and a glazed tile roof with painted eaves and translucent windows.

According to the analysis above, I personally think that Jiangang was built in 1907, which needs to be verified, and the time of construction is uncertain. The new building was built in 1986, and it cannot be called 'old building' or 'legacy ancient building'.

This article is original. The pictures are from the network and book illustrations. Please inform me if there is any copyright, and I will delete the pictures.

References: 1. 'Longsha Park Centennial Commemorative Collection'.

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