Wangcheng (English spelling)

Japanese: 甕城 - おうじょう（英語表記）wèng chéng

A semicircular or square wall that protrudes from the outside of a Chinese castle gate. It is often built double or triple in order to strengthen the defense of the gate. Some gates open to the side and have a curved passageway, while others are straight. It corresponds to the square shape of a Japanese castle. It seems to have originated in castles in border areas around the Tang dynasty, and was built extensively after the Song and Liao dynasties. All of the gates in Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Northern Song dynasty, were of this style. Actual gates from the Ming and Qing dynasties still exist in Beijing and Suzhou. [Tanaka Tan]

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中国の城門の外側に突出して設けられた半円形または方形の城壁。城門の防御を強化する目的のもので，しばしば二重，三重につくられる。門が横に開かれて通路が屈折するものと，直進のものとがある。日本の城郭の升形（ますがた）に相当。起源は唐代ころの辺境地方の城らしく，宋･遼以降さかんにつくられた。北宋の首都汴梁（べんりよう）(開封)の城門はすべてこの形式だった。明･清時代の北京や蘇州などに実物が現存する。【田中淡】

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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