The Uprising Gate, initially constructed during the early Ming Dynasty's Hongwu period (1368 CE), boasts a history spanning over seven centuries. Among the nine original city gates of Wuchang, it stands as the sole surviving structure.
Revered as "the millennium-old Wuchang epitomized in this gate," it first bore the name Xin'nan Gate before being renamed Zhonghe Gate, reflecting Confucian ideals of "harmony and benevolence." The gatehouse originally perched atop Chuwang Hill, one of the "Three Hills" (Chuwang, Snake, and Phoenix Hills) that formed Wuchang's natural defensive perimeter. Its strategic location on elevated terrain granted it critical defensive significance in ancient military strategy.
To commemorate the victory of the Wuchang Uprising, Zhonghe Gate was renamed Qiyi Gate. The gate tower had fallen into disrepair before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. In 1981, it was restored on its original site; the gate tower bears Marshal Ye Jianying's personally inscribed gilded characters "Qiyi Gate".
In 2011, a 333-meter section of the city wall was faithfully restored to its original design based on historical blueprints.
