The walled city of Tanshui in Hsinchu was established in 1829. In order to prevent local rebellion, it was built with large human and material resources and the support of important local scholar, businessmen and officials in the northern Taiwan area. During the early Japanese occupation of Taiwan with the implementation new urban planning strategies, city walls from the Qing Dynasty were demolished. With the support of the governor of Hsinchu County, The East Gate was fortunately preserved. In the 1970s, the tower above the gate was rebuilt with reinforced concrete mimicking the original wooden structure. With regards to reconstructed gates in Taiwan after 1945, the Hsinchu East Gate is rich with historical information that is worth revealing. This article outlines the brief history of the construction and preservation of the walled city of Tanshui. Then it surveys examples of reconstruction in Taiwan. Finally, it clarifies the value and contemporary meaning of the reconstruction.