Dagu Fort is located in the estuary of theHaiheRiverin Dagu in Eastern Tanggu District,TianjingCity.
Dagukou was calledJinmen Zhi Ping(Protective Screen forTianjin) because it served as a coastal defense strategic pass forNorthern Chinaand a waterway toBeijingsince ancient times. Ramparts and fortifications were built to resist Japanese pirates (14th -16th century) during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 1858, the eighth year of the reign of the seventh emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Xianfeng,Haikou Liuying(Six Battalions at the Seaport) was set up. Three forts were erected on the northern banks of theHaiheRiverat Dagukou and two on the southern banks, named respectively with five Chinesecharacters:Wei(powerful),Zhen(guarding),Hai(sea),Men(gate) andGao(high). Square or round in shape and 10-15 meters in height, all five forts were surrounded by embankment walls full of embrasures encircled by deep trenches. During the reign of Guanxu in 1875, the ninth emperor of the Qing Dynasty by the order of Li Hongzhang (1823-1901) -- the chief minister of the late Qing government -- some forts were added in Dagu, Beitang, etc. By 1885, the 10th year in the reign of Guangxu, there were 52 forts in Dagu. As a result of the humiliatingXinchou Tiaoyue(Treaty in 1901) signed between the Qing government and the 11 countries -- Britain, the United States, Russia, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Holland and Belgium in 1901 -- in the 27th year of the reign of Guangxu, the Dagu Forts were dismantled. Only the fort on the south bank calledHai(sea) has preserved and has remained comparatively intact. Around the fort, relics of artilleries and shells can still be found.
During the Second Opium War (1856-1860), the Chinese military and the people engaged themselves in the Dagukou Defending Battle against invading colonial armies here. In 1900, the defending Boxers inTianjinalso resisted the invasion of the Eight-Power Allied Forces.
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