The ancient city ruins of Qinghecheng

The ancient city ruins of Qinghecheng

The ancient city ruins of Qinghecheng is a cultural tourism attraction.

Qinghecheng, also known as Qinghe Fort.

The ruins of the Ming Dynasty military city of Qinghecheng are located 35 kilometers north of the county seat of Benxi Manchu Autonomous County. It was an important military stronghold in Liaodong during the Ming Dynasty and has a history of

500

many years.

Qinghe Fort was built in the fourth year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty by Han Bin, the vice commander of Liaoyang. The fort is square-shaped, with a perimeter of

500

meters, a wall height of

6

meters, and a wall width of

3

meters. It was constructed using strip stones and blue

bricks, with parapets built inside. Battlements were erected at the four corners of the city, and crenellations were built along the walls. There was one

gate each on the northern and southern sides of the eastern wall. Today, apart from a section of the southern foundation that remains relatively intact, the rest of the structure is only visible as raised earthen mounds. During the Ming Dynasty, Qinghecheng was a crucial military stronghold in the Liaodong region. In the 39th year of the Jiajing reign (1560 AD), the position of Qinghecheng Tiaotiao was changed to Shibei, overseeing seven forts including Jianchang, Gushan, and Dongzhou, as well as 66 watchtowers, with over

4500

stationed troops. A border wall stretching over

100

kilometers and the Yahu border pass were also constructed. A horse market was established for trade between the Chinese and the Jurchens. In the 46th year of the Wanli reign (1618 AD), Nurhaci personally led the Later Jin army to attack Qinghecheng. The defending Ming deputy commander Zou Chu-xian led ten thousand troops in a staunch defense. However, the Later Jin forces breached the walls and captured the city, killing Zou Chu-xian. "Once Qinghe was lost, all of Liaodong was thrown into turmoil." As a result, in 1619, the Ming Dynasty appointed Yang Hao as the Liaodong Regional Commander and launched a four-pronged campaign against the Jin. The right-center wing of the offensive, led by the Liaodong regional commander Li Ru-bo, commanded

6

troops marching out of Qinghecheng through the Yahu Pass. However, before engaging in battle, they heard that the other three routes had collapsed, so Yang Hao urgently ordered Li Ru-bo to retreat without fighting.

In 1905, during the Russo-Japanese War, Japanese commander Nogi Maresuke, aiming to contain Russian forces, turned his campaign toward Qinghecheng and advanced toward Fushun. The frequent wars in history plunged the people of Qinghecheng into immense suffering. It was not until after liberation that Qinghecheng returned to the people and began to take on a new look.

500

Many years have passed. Although the Qinghe Fort has endured wind erosion, sun exposure, and repeated war damage, parts of the city walls can still be faintly discerned. It stands as a witness to historical change and an important heritage of ancient culture. In 1961, it was listed as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit.