Early Ming Nanjing City Wall

Timeline

1. 1366Yingtianfu (Nanjing) · JiangsuZhu Yuanzhang adopted suggestions from Feng Guobao and others to build a new wall outside the Yuan Dadu city, expanding the city's extent and planning gate locations, mobilizing laborers from Jiangnan and guards from military colonies, marking the official start of the early Ming capital's defensive works.
2. 1368–1369Yingtianfu (Nanjing) · JiangsuAfter founding the dynasty, the court designated Nanjing as the capital, conscripting large numbers of laborers from Jiangnan prefectures to fire bricks and quarry stone for construction; the wall's height and thickness increased markedly, and defensive facilities such as moats, barbicans, and troop-hiding chambers were built.
3. 1369–1370Yingtianfu (Nanjing) · JiangsuBetween the 23rd and 24th year of Hongwu, the main works on Nanjing's wall were essentially finished, with thirteen gates and the supporting defensive system taking shape; the system of inscriptions on wall bricks also became standardized, forming the core of the early Ming capital's complete defensive system.