Bianniu Mountain City Site

Bianniu Mountain City Site

Bianniu Mountain City Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Bianniu Mountain City Site, located in Bianniu Village, Waitoushan Town, Xihu District, Benxi City, Liaoning Province, is the Bianniu Mountain City from the Han to Tang dynasties. Locally known as "Goryeo City," it was approved as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 2013.

"Bianniu" was originally called "Bianniulu Fort." Regarding this "niulu," the academic community generally believes it refers to the niulu, a basic military and political organization of the Manchu Qing. Nurhaci established the Eight Banners system, stipulating that every 300 men formed a niulu, led by a niulu ejen, with five niulu forming a jalan, led by a jalan ejen (translated as "commander"), five jalan forming a gūsa (translated as "banner"), led by a gūsa ejen (translated as "commander-in-chief"), and each gūsa having two meiren ejen (translated as "lieutenant commanders") for the left and right. As for "bian," opinions vary. Historical records from the Republic of China period suggested there was a "bian" (i.e., a city wall) at the site, but archaeological evidence shows no such wall existed. Another legend claims "bian" was originally "bian" (whip), implying a whipping incident where a Later Jin general allegedly whipped a niulu ejen, though this is also considered unreliable. We believe "bian" here is likely a surname; the Manchu had the Bannermen clan name Bianjia, one of the old Manchu surnames, later sinicized as Bian or Bian. Bianniu may have been the garrison or fief of a certain Bianjia clan niulu ejen during the Qing.

Historical Background of the Site

The history of Bianniu Mountain City is even more ancient. The mountain where the city is situated has an embracing shape, with ridges rising on the east, south, and north sides, and a valley opening to the west. The city walls follow the mountain’s contour, built along the ridges. The city has a winnowing basket-like layout, with earthen walls and solid rammed layers, stretching over 2,000 meters in total. The southeast and northeast corners of the city are its highest points, each featuring a corner tower with square bases approximately 10 meters long and 6 meters wide. The city has four gates: three on the west wall and one on the east wall. The three west gates, from north to south, are the main gate, water gate, and side gate. Outside the west wall, two additional earthen walls were built, connecting to extensions of the south wall, forming two outer defensive lines—the outer line 175 meters long and the inner line 510 meters long—with one gate. The area inside the west wall is low-lying and often waterlogged, likely serving as a reservoir. The interior is relatively flat, with over ten depressions on the surface in the southeast, where artifacts such as gray pottery shards and stone mortars have been found. Based on the construction method of the walls and the collected relics, it is inferred that the city was built and used during the middle to late Goguryeo period.

Academic Inference

Scholars infer that Bianniu Mountain City is the Goguryeo Momi City. When Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, personally led his army to campaign against Goguryeo, he visited this place. The Zizhi Tongjian records: "In the 19th year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong personally led troops eastward to attack, 'capturing ten cities including Xuantu, Hengshan, Gaemo, Momi, Liaodong, Baiyan, Bisa, Maigu, Yingshan, and Houhuang during the Goguryeo campaign.'" The Old Book of Tang and Cefu Yuangui state: "In September of the first year of Zongzhang (668) during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, the general Li Ji... attacked and captured the cities... After the fall of the cities southwest of the capital, two new counties were established, and six counties were merged, all placed under the jurisdiction of Andong Protectorate General, with the heavy responsibility of managing the surrendered Goguryeo people.' After the capture of the capital, the Tang dynasty merged ten counties, 'placing them under the unified administration of local officials.' After the fall of the capital, the Tang dynasty took control of the Liaodong region, and the surrendered Goguryeo officials jointly managed the affairs of the captured cities." After the fall of the capital, the Tang dynasty took control of the Liaodong region, and the surrendered Goguryeo officials jointly managed the affairs of the captured cities. According to the routes of the Tang army's campaign against Goguryeo and geographical relationships, the Goguryeo mountain cities that fit these criteria are Pingshan Mountain City and Bianniu Mountain City. Since Pingshan Mountain City is identified as Hengshan City, Bianniu Mountain City is inferred to be Momi City.

Development Through Dynasties

It is generally believed that Xuantu refers to the ancient city of Shangbaiguantun in Shenyang today, Gaemo to the ancient city of Fushun Labor Park today, and Liaodong and Baiyan to the present-day Liaoyang. Shabei (or Bisha) is today’s Dalian Dongdahei Mountain City, and Hengshan is Benxi’s Pingdingshan Mountain City. Qing dynasty scholar Yang Tonggui wrote in Shengjing Jiangyu Kao: "Momi Prefecture should be within the territory of Fengtian Prefecture. The Zizhi Tongjian states: 'In the 19th year of Zhenguan, during the campaign against Goguryeo, ten cities including Xuantu, Hengshan, Gaemo, Momi, Liaodong, Baiyan, Shabei, Maigu, Yingshan, and Houhuang were captured... Momi Prefecture, mentioned alongside Gaemo and Liaodong, should not be far from them.' This suggests Momi Prefecture (originally Momi City) was not far from Gaemo and Liaodong, likely in the vicinity of present-day Liaoyang or Fushun. Based on the route of the Tang army’s campaign against Goguryeo and geographical relationships, the Goguryeo mountain cities that meet these conditions are Pingshan Mountain City and Bianniu Mountain City. Since Pingshan Mountain City is identified as Hengshan City, Momi City is inferred to be Bianniu Mountain City.

The Song dynasty work Shishi Leiyuan by Jiang Shaoyu records an incident involving a "bronze fish tally" related to Momi Prefecture: someone found a "left bronze fish tally" in a rice field in Shouguang County (now Shouguang City, Shandong Province). Made of red copper, it was about two inches long. The back featured a fish with complete head, tail, scales, and fins. The front bore the character "tong" (same), used for matching with the other half of the tally. Most importantly, it was inscribed with the official title and name of its owner: "Left Yunhui General, Acting Prefect of Momi Prefecture, Military Commissioner of Momi Prefecture Gao Congzheng." Gao Congzheng might have been a "chieftain" of Momi Prefecture who submitted to the Tang dynasty or a descendant. It remains puzzling how this military and administrative seal from the northeastern region, a personal item of a high-ranking Tang official, ended up in Shandong during the Song dynasty.

Other historical figures related to Momi Prefecture include the Tang dynasty generals Gao Zhi and his son Gao Ci. Originally Goguryeo defectors, their ancestors had served the Goguryeo king and were highly meritorious, holding noble positions for generations. In the first year of Zongzhang (668), Gao Zhi led his clan to surrender to the Tang and accepted Tang official positions, subsequently contributing greatly to the Tang’s military campaigns. In May of the first year of Wansuitian (696), Khitan leaders Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong near Yingzhou killed local officials, rebelled, captured Yingzhou, and looted the area for over a year, an event known as the "Yingzhou Rebellion." The Gao father and son were ordered to suppress the rebellion, achieving initial success but were ultimately defeated at Momi Prefecture under "isolated city, exhausted troops, and depleted arrows" conditions. Gao Zhi and his son "were captured by the enemy, remained defiant, refused to yield to brutality, and were executed." To honor them, the Tang dynasty posthumously awarded them titles to console their spirits and "specially ordered their deeds recorded in history."

During the Jin dynasty, Bianniu Mountain City was still inhabited. Buddhist ritual implements unearthed in the city, large quantities of roof tiles, and other architectural remains on the surface strongly indicate the city’s continued use during the Jin period, with a Vajrayana Buddhist temple likely built within. The unearthed implements include nine bronze cymbals and one gilded bronze ritual bell. Through research on their patterns and inscriptions, it is believed that Vajrayana Garbhadhatu practices were conducted here, with a sizable monastic community to facilitate the use of these instruments. The inscriptions on the cymbals also reflect the Jin dynasty’s strict copper prohibition policies, with government-established Buddhist management bodies like "Sengsi" overseeing local Buddhist affairs.

In the Ming dynasty, a beacon tower was built at the western corner of the mountain where Bianniu Mountain City is located. Still standing today, it is earthen, shaped like a round platform, with a top diameter of 5 meters, base diameter of 20 meters, and height of 8 meters. At the center of the top is a circular pit, 2 meters in diameter and 0.7 meters deep. From the beacon tower, the view westward is unobstructed, making it ideal for monitoring the ancient Shahe route. Starting from the Chenghua era of the Ming and continuing through the Wanli era, to defend against the Jianzhou Jurchens, the Ming court built numerous fortresses, post roads, and watchtowers in the region east of Liaoyang near the Jianzhou Jurchens, creating a network of "beacon towers in sight of one another, responding across distances." The Bianniu Beacon Tower was likely one of the watchtowers under the jurisdiction of Weiningying Fortress.

Protected Area: Within the city and within 100 meters outside the outer base of the city walls.

Construction Control Zone: A Class I Control Zone extends 20 meters outside the protected area, and a Class II Control Zone extends 30 meters outside the Class I Control Zone.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Liaoning Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units