The Functional Evolvement And Function Effectively In Modern Time Of The Ming Dynasty City Wall Of Nanjing

Nanjing, the ancient capital of six dynasties, is a renowned historical and cultural city filled with abundant historical and cultural heritages. The Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing has evolved into the symbolic architecture of Nanjing as the large cultural heritage. The study on the functional evolvement of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing can not only contribute to the better protection of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing but also bring into play the role of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing in modern city more effectively. The function of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing changes with social development, and the preservation of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing in the fast-growing modern city is closely associated with its ever-changing function. With the passage of the time, the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing alters its function to follow the development of the times. The permanent preservation of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing can play a greater role in the wake of social development of progress.This paper has analyzed various functions of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing in chronological order, including its political and military functions in the Ming Dynasty, its political, military and non-military defensive functions in the Qing Dynasty, and its military, political. In the Ming Dynasty, the City Wall was applied to military field when being built completely, thus showing military defensive and political functions. In the Qing Dynasty, the City Wall was intended for the defence against invaders, psychological defence. In the period of the Republic of China, the City Wall was equipped with cultural function, and in modern times, the City Wall has the function of cultural heritage as a part thereof.According to the development trajectory, the City Wall kept upgrading its political function up to its peak from the start to the completion of its construction. Then, the political function began to weaken in the mid-late Ming Dynasty but became stronger in the late Ming Dynasty. Afterwards, however, its political function became weaker again and was finally lost. The cause for such changes was the reform of political system. Its military function reached the peak from the start to the completion of its construction and began to decline slowly from the mid-late Ming Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty. Then, such military function suffered a drastic decline from the late Qing Dynasty to the period of the Republic of China, and was finally lost in the period of Anti-Japanese War. The non-military defensive function has been retained at a stable level without drastic fluctuations from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. However, it was weakened sharply and lost in the period of the Republic of China. The cause for such changes was the alteration of social security administration. Along with the development of the times and the progress of the society, social security has been making constant improvements, and the City Wall does not show the defensive and military functions any more.According to the analysis on the modern function of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing, the transformation of the City Wall’s modern function faces some shortcomings in addition to certain achievements. In the light of the comparison with the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Xi’an and the Ancient City of Pingyao, the questionnaire survey on Nanjing tourists and the interview with tourists, the modern transformation effects and deficiencies of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing have been ascertained. The study on the functional evolvement of the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing is conducive to the protection and exploitation of not only the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Nanjing but also historical and cultural heritages.