Lighthouses of China: Yánchéng and Nántōng, Jiāngsū

The People's Republic of China (中华, Zhōnghuá in Chinese) has a lengthy coastline, many large harbors, and a large number of lighthouses. During the colonial period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries Western powers occupied a number of locations in China and built lighthouses, many of which survive. In more recent years the People's Republic has developed modern ports throughout the country and built many lighthouses to serve them.

The country is divided into 23 provinces and 11 other province-level regions of various special types. The province of Jiāngsū (previously spelled Kiangsu) extends southward from the base of the Shāndōng Peninsula to the mouth of the Yangtze River (Cháng Jiāng). The great port of Shànghǎi, now the center of one of the world's largest metropolitan areas, was built on the Huángpǔ River, an estuary on the south side of the Yangtze just above the mouth. Metropolitan Shànghǎi has been separated from Jiāngsū Province as a provincial-level metropolitan region, Shànghǎi Shì.

Jiāngsū is divided into thirteen prefectural-level cities. This page describes lighthouses of the prefectural-level cities of Yánchéng ("Salt City") and Nántōng ("South Connection") occupying respectively the central and southern coasts of Jiāngsū. Most of this Jiāngsū coast is quite low and marshy, historically attracting little navigation and having no lighthouses. Recently, however, a containership terminal with a new lighthouse has been built at Dàfēng in the center of this area.

There are many languages and dialects spoken in China, but Standard Chinese, often called Mandarin, is official. The pīnyīn system for transliterating Standard Chinese into Latin characters is now the international standard but some locations continue to be known also under the spellings of older transliteration systems. The Chinese word for a lighthouse is dēngtǎ (灯塔). In Standard Chinese jiāo (formerly chiao) is a reef or rock, jiǎo is a cape or headland, dǎo (tao) is an island; (tsu) or tuózi ("lump") is a small island, hǎi is a sea, wān is a bay, hǎixiá is a strait, or jiāng is a river, hékǒu ("river mouth") is an estuary, and gǎng (kang) is a harbor.

Lighthouses in China are maintained by the PRC Maritime Safety Administration. The administration is organized in four regional administrations; Jiāngsū lighthouses fall under the Shànghǎi MSA.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. CN numbers are Chinese light list numbers. Admiralty numbers are from volume P of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - China
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
World of Lighthouses - China
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Chinese English Pinyin Dictionary
A useful tool for juggling the representations of Chinese names.
Leuchttürme Chinas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Jiāngsū.

Dafeng Light
Dàfēng Light, Dàfēng
Dàfēng City Tourism Office photo

Yánchéng Prefecture Lighthouses

Yánchéng has approximately 582 km (362 mi) of coastline, more than half the length of the whole province of Jiāngsū. The coast is low and sandy, consisting of sediments deposited over many centuries by the Yangtze (Cháng Jiāng) and Huái Rivers.

Xiǎngshuǐ County Lighthouse
* Zhōngshān Hé (Zhongshan River)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, colored with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a dike at Zhōngshān. Site open, tower closed. CN-2054.5; Admiralty P3797.69.

Bīnhǎi County Lighthouses
Huánghéjiàn
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 18 m (59 ft) tower mounted on a square platform. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located a short distance offshore of Bīnhǎi. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. CN-2059; Admiralty P3797.
Zhèndōnggǎng Kǒu North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 13 m (43 ft) round barbell-shaped tower colored with green and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the north breakwater of an inlet at Zhèndōnggǎngcūn. Site status unknown. CN-2059.03; Admiralty P3796.8; NGA 18779.34.
Zhèndōnggǎng Kǒu South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red light, pattern unknown. 13 m (43 ft) round barbell-shaped tower colored with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south breakwater of an inlet at Zhèndōnggǎngcūn. Site status unknown. Not listed by the Admiralty but charted as active by Navionics.
Biǎndān Gǎng
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower, colored with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the inlet at Biǎndān. Site status unknown. CN-2060.5; Admiralty P3796.1.

Shèyáng County Lighthouses
Shuāngyáng Gǎng
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three red flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical metal tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of a harbor entrance about 25 km (15 mi) north of Shèyáng. Site status unknown. CN-2060.6; Admiralty P3795.7.
Yúnliàng Hé
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 4 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of an estuary entrance about 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Shèyáng. Site status unknown. CN-2060.7; Admiralty P3795.5.
Shèyáng (Shèyáng Hékǒu) (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. 25 m (82 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery. Staffed station. Donald Chin has a very distant view and Google has a satellite view. This light was apparently relocated in connection with harbor development. Located on the north side of the harbor entrance at Shèyáng. Site status unknown. CN-2062; Admiralty P3795; NGA 18779.4.
Xīnyánggǎng Kǒu
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white flash every 12 s. 29 m (95 ft) skeletal tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the entrance at Xīnyánggǎng ("New Ocean Port"). The light lists are confused by the lights at this entrance. NGA lists the Admiralty number as P3794.5, but this is a much smaller light. Google satellite views suggest that the CN list reversed the locations of CN-2065 and CN-2065.1. Site status unknown. CN-2065 (?); Admiralty P3794.49; NGA 18779.5.

Dàfēng District Lighthouse
* Dàfēng
2002. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 40 m (131 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and a large round observation room. The tower is unpainted white concrete; lantern painted red. A photo is at right and Bing has a satellite view. Dàfēng Port is a new facility; the deepwater port facilities are located on an artificial island about 6 km (3.5 mi) offshore, connected to the mainland by a long bridge. The lighthouse is near the mainland end of the bridge. Site open, tower status unknown. CN-2066.98; Admiralty P3794.19.
Chuāndōngzhá
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 4 s. 14.5 m (48 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower colored with green and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The navigational purpose of this light is not clear. Located about 25 km (15 mi) south of Dafeng harbor. Site status unknown. CN-2067.2; Admiralty P3794.175; NGA 18779.65.

East China Sea Lighthouses
These lights are on reefs in the East China Sea north of Shànghǎi. Aside from their value in warning ships away from these hazards, they also assist China in contending with South Korea for control of these waters.

Mácàihéng
2010. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white flash every 6.5 s. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern mounted on a round platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome red. A photo is at right and another photo is available but the lighthouse is not shown in Google's satellite view. Located on a shoal about 65 km (40 mi) east of Dàfēng. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. CN-2067.26; Admiralty P3794.199; NGA 18779.85.
Macaiheng Light
Mácàihéng Light, East China Sea, April 2014
Jiāngsū Bureau of Surveying and Mapping photo
Wàikējiāo
2010. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white flash every 5 s. 26 m (85 ft) round drum-like concrete structure with gallery, mounted on three massive concrete piles. The tower is yellow, piles white. A photo is at right but the lighthouse is not shown in Google's satellite view. Located on a shoal about 100 km (60 mi) southeast of Dàfēng. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. CN-2067.27; Admiralty P3794.172; NGA 18779.9.

Dōngtái City Lighthouses
Chuānshuǐ Gǎng (Dōngtái) (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); red flash every 4 s. Approx. 19 m (62 ft) round concrete tower with a lantern and a round structure (probably a water tank), painted in a light blue and white spiral pattern. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. This light replaced a 12 m (39 ft) skeletal tower. Located at a sluice gate in Dōngtái. Site open, tower status unknown. CN-2067.4; Admiralty P3794.16.
Sǐshēng Gǎng North
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. Approx. 19 m (62 ft) round concrete water tower, painted white. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. This light replaced a 12 m (39 ft) skeletal tower. Located at a sluice gate in southern Dōngtái. Site open, tower status unknown. CN-2067.5; Admiralty P3794.165.

Wàikējiāo Light, East China Sea
Unattributed Baike.com photo

Nántōng Prefecture Lighthouses

Nántōng, located on the north bank of the lower Yangtze River, is an important river port with a total population approaching 8 million.

Rúdōng District Lighthouses
* Yángkǒu Gǎng
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); red flash every 4 s. 18 m (59 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. David Yin's photo is at right and Google has a satellite view. Located behind an oceanfront hotel in northern Rúdōng. Site open, tower closed. CN-2068.26; Admiralty P3794.169.
Liúbù Gǎng West
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); three green flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) round barbell-shaped tower painted with green and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the west side of Liúbù harbor. Site status unknown. CN-2069.01; Admiralty P3794.137; NGA 18779.81.
Liúbù Gǎng East
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); three red flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) round barbell-shaped tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of Liúbù harbor. Site status unknown. CN-2069.02; Admiralty P3794.138; NGA 18779.82.
Dōnglíng Gǎng (Rúdōng) (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); red flash every 4 s. 14 m (46 ft) hexagonal concrete tower with gallery. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. This light replaced a skeletal tower charted on the north side of the entrance; that tower has been demolished. Located on a breakwater on the south side of the sluice entrance at Rúdōng. Site status unknown. CN-2069.03; Admiralty P3794.136; NGA 18779.95.

Yángkǒu Gǎng Light, Rúdōng, September 2018
Google Maps photo by David Yin

Tōngzhōu District Lighthouse
* Yáowàng Gǎng (Tōngzhōu Wan) (2)
2012. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red flash every 4 s. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) round concrete tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. A photo is at right and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This light replaced a small skeletal tower. Located on the Tōngzhōu waterfront. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. CN-2069.3; Admiralty P3794.135; NGA 18779.94.

Hǎimén District Lighthouses
Dōngzào Gǎng West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 14 m (46 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Dōngzào is a traditional fishing port, but a new industrial harbor is being developed on the east side of the town. Located on the west side of the entrance to the new port. Site status unknown. CN-2069.5; Admiralty P3794.13.
Dōngzào Gǎng East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 12 m (29 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the entrance to the new port. Site status unknown. CN-2069.51; Admiralty P3794.131.

Qǐdōng City: Oceanside Lighthouses
A city of more than one million people, Qǐdōng is on the north side of the mouth of the Yangtze River opposite Shànghǎi.

Dàyáng Gǎng East
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); three red flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) round tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of Liúbù harbor. Site status unknown. CN-2069.8; Admiralty P3794.114; NGA 18779.93.
Lǚsì Gǎng
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower colored with green and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located at the end of a long pier near the north end of Qǐdōng. Site and tower closed. CN-2070.66; Admiralty P3794.02.

Yáowàng Gǎng Light, Tōngzhōu, September 2013
ex-Panoramio photo copyright coffeeseed; permission requested
Tánglú Gǎng North (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 4 s. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with gallery. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the entrance to the Tánglú fishing port in northern Qǐdōng. Site open, tower closed. CN-2071.5; Admiralty P3794.047.
* Tánglú Gǎng South
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 4 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower with gallery, colored with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located the south side of the entrance to the Tánglú fishing port. Site open, tower closed. CN-2071.6; Admiralty P3794.046; NGA 18779.91.

Qǐdōng City: Yangtze River Lighthouses
* Liánxīng Gǎng East
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); three green flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower, painted with green and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the entrance to the Liánxīng fishing port. Site open, tower closed. CN-2073.6; Admiralty P3793.55.
Wǔcāng Gǎng
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); green flash every 4 s. 18 m (59 ft) hexagonal concrete tower, painted with green and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the entrance to the Wǔcāng fishing port, on the northernmost mouth of the Yangtze about 12 km (7.5 mi) from the sea. Site open, tower closed. CN-2075.05; Admiralty P3793.8.
* Sāntiáo Gǎng
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8 m (26 ft) round concrete tower colored with black and white horizontal bands. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the city, on the northernmost mouth of the Yangtze about 16 km (10 mi) from the sea. Site open, tower closed. CN-2075.08; Admiralty P3793.84.
Hóngyáng Gǎng
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round metal tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the northernmost mouth of the Yangtze about 25 km (15 mi) from the sea. Site open, tower closed. CN-2075.07; Admiralty P3793.9.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Liányúngǎng | South: Shànghǎi

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted April 21, 2008. Checked and revised September 20, 2023. Lighthouses: 30. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.