The Construction of Coastal Defense Batteries in Guangdong During the Canton System Period of the Qing Dynasty:A Case Study of the Yamen Battery

YANG Yexin; PENG Changxin; CAO Jin

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-0232.2025.08.011

Abstract：In the coastal defense system of the Qing Dynasty,the Weisuo System was gradually replaced by the battery system,which became the core facility of maritime defense.During the Canton System period of the Qing Dynasty(1757-1842),Guangzhou served as the sole foreign trade port,leading to significant shifts in the Pearl River Estuary's defensive dynamics.Faced with rampant piracy,smuggling,and escalating maritime threats,coastal fortifications underwent substantial transformations in design and construction techniques,exhibiting remarkable differences from fortresses in early and later Qing Dynasties.Among the few well-preserved casemate-style fortresses of this period,Yamen Battery is a typical one.The horseshoe-shaped layout,which nestles into mountainous terrain and faces the sea,and the cave-type structure and hybrid rammed earth-masonry construction epitomize coastal defense architecture during the Canton System period.It not only reflects shifts in Guangdong's maritime defense strategies and foreign trade policies but also highlights the ideological changes and technological development in fortification under the Canton System. This study delineates four historical phases of Guangdong's coastal defense construction:the Great Evacuation,the Nanyang Trade Ban period,the Canton System period,and the Westernization Movement after the Opium War.It examines the distinct characteristics of fortresses across these phases in terms of layout,form,scale,and materials.A case study based on Yamen Battery was carried out.Its site selection,layout,structures,and materials were analyzed,thus summarizing common features of Guangdong's coastal fortifications during the Canton System period.Coastal defense batteries in Guangdong during the Canton System period were strategically positioned to combat piracy and smuggling,showing a"choke-point defense"strategy.Site selection of coastal defense batteries changed from broad coastal distribution to concentrated defense at key river estuaries.The layout of coastal defense batteries reflects a spatial logic of"leaning against mountains and facing water,with overlapping platforms."The locations of batteries changed from elevated,open terrain to below mountains and waterfront,with a spatial layout described as facing the sea and leaning against mountains.Battery shapes changed from rectangles of unilateral batteries to irregular ovals.The battery structures were designed as"ringed embrasures,platform above and vault below,"with two floors on the side facing the enemies.The upper floor was made up of crenellations,and the lower floor held rectangular gun ports distributed around the platform.The figure-eight openings were adopted to enhance firing arcs and protection.Batteries were built by using"rammed earth and masonry cladding."Compacted earth was widely used,supplemented with local masonry structures,thus reducing the risk of debris splashing during artillery use.