唐代“贞观之治”后，随着国力逐渐昌盛，海上贸易日渐发达，广州因而成为了当时世界上最大的对外贸易港口。中唐之后，西北陆路丝绸之路的阻塞使得华南地区海上交通日益兴盛。但由于海路水浅，进出广州的大型商贸船只必须绕行大屿山，经由屯门岛、南头等地驶入珠江。因此，南头一带凭借着天然水路优势，成为了广州与海外往来的必经之地，发挥着粤海交通重要门户的作用，这一地理优势也为后来南头一带发展为海防军事要塞提供了有利条件。

Following the golden years of the Zhenguan reign during the Tang Dynasty, Guangzhou developed into one of the world’s biggest foreign trade ports with the development of national power and the booming of the maritime trade. The blockage of the Silk Road during the late Tang Dynasty also prompted the prosperity of marine transportation in South China. The large-scale trade ships that departed from and to Guangzhou had to detour via Lantau, Tun Men Island and Nantou. Therefore, by virtue of its waterways, Nantou became a must-pass place for Guangzhou to exchange with foreign countries. The geographical advantages of Nantou also contributed to its later becoming a military fortress.

今南头古城“南头古城垣”遗址

The site of the old city wall of Nantou Ancient Town.

唐开元二十四年（公元736年）正月，朝廷在南头城东南的海边建立了一个独立于地方政府之外的军事驻防区“屯门镇”，直接由岭南节度使统领，以保障海上贸易及交通安全。据《新唐书·地理志》载：“广州东南海行，二百里至屯门山……至狮子国……至婆罗门西境……至大食国。”由此可见，屯门因其便利的交通条件发展为广州的外港，成为了唐末中外商舶汇集之地。

In the first lunar month of 736, in order to guarantee the safety of sea trade and transportation, the imperial government established the military garrison, Tunmen Town, at the seashore southeast of Nantou Town, which was independent of the local government and directly under the administration of the Lingnan military commander. Tunmen Town developed into the outer port of Guangzhou due to its convenient transportation conditions and by the end of the Tang Dynasty attracted trade ships from all over the world.

设立于南头的屯门军镇枕山面海，历经朝代更迭，依然扼守着我国南海防线上的重要阵地。清嘉庆版《新安县志》记载，南头寨设立于明嘉靖初年，为“虎门之外卫，省会之屏藩”。作为新安海防要塞，南头寨下辖军事防地6处，战船数量自明万历十九年陆续增至112只，成为名副其实的“全广门户”。清朝时期，政府在原军镇基础上修建了南头炮台。鸦片战争前夕，该炮台在抗击英军入侵等诸多战役中发挥了重要作用。

Regardless of the change of governance, Tunmen Town had been defending the South China Sea for a long time. According to the Qing Dynasty Jiaqing edition of the “Annals of Xin’an County”, Nantou Town was established around 1522. As the fortress of naval defense, Nantou Town had six military defense bases and the number of warships had increased since 1591 to 112. During the Qing Dynasty, the imperial government built the Nantou Battery. On the eve of the Opium War, the Nantou Battery played an important role in many battles against the British invaders.

南头古城见证了深圳这片土地上沧海桑田的变迁，以近1700年的记忆，留存着深圳城市历史发展的“根”。

Nantou Ancient Town has witnessed the changes of Shenzhen. With a memory of nearly 1,700 years, it retains the roots of Shenzhen’s historical development.

今日互动：南头古城除了是岭南盐政中心，还是军事海防要塞。如今的南头古城已摇身一变成为网红打卡点，您去过南头古城打卡吗？您喜欢现在的南头古城吗？欢迎留言分享，小i将从留言中抽取三位幸运儿送出小礼物。

Today's topic: Nantou Ancient Town has now become a popular destination. Have you ever been to Nantou Ancient Town? Do you like it? Feel free to leave your comments and three lucky people will receive gifts.

来源：深圳市档案馆、i深圳

Source: Shenzhen Archives, iShenzhen

编译：深圳政府在线、Shenzhen Daily、GDToday

Transedited by: Shenzhen Government Online, Shenzhen Daily, GDToday