“临河无池”抑或“筑城浚池”:明清天津护城河考辨——兼论“赛淮安城”之说

The Analysis of Tianjin City Moat in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

一方面旧方志中记载了明代天津城“临河无池”即没有护城河,现存最早的天津城图中也未标示出护城河;而另一方面又有“筑城浚池”等关于护城河的论述,更多的史料包括古地图则显示明清天津城一直有护城河存在。之所以天津城有“临河无池”的说法,关键应在于其护城河规模较小、规格较低,不具有本该具有的较强的军事防御功能,而天津城主要以南运河和海河作为屏障,加之城墙、炮台等,构成了较强的防御体系。从“临河无池”来看,天津城与淮安城在军事地理形态方面较为相似,天津城的“赛淮安城”之说可能与此相关。

Local chronicles show that there is no moat of Tianjin city in the Ming Dynasty.At the same time,some historical literatures has proved the existence evidence of the moat of Tianjin city in the Ming and Qing dynasties.Tianjin city was near the river in the north and east,which constituted natural barriers.Rivers,city walls and gun towers formed a military defense system.The moat of Tianjin city with smaller scale and lower specifications in Ming and Qing dynasties has no obvious military defense function.In military geography,Tianjin city is similar to Huai’an city.The statement of“Better than Huai’an city”on Tianjin city may be related to this.