Architectural Ruins at Dongshantou

Architectural Ruins at Dongshantou

The Architectural Ruins at Dongshantou is a cultural tourism attraction.

The structure is located in Gelao Village, Dongshantou Township, Yueliangpao Town, Da’an City, to the east of Dongshantou Village and backed by a small east-west oriented hill to the north. The Nenjiang River meanders southward from the northeast of the ruins, just 1.5 kilometers away. To the south and west lie boundless plains, offering an extremely open view. It is 6 kilometers north of Yueliangpao. The entire architectural foundation stands about 5 meters above the ground, stretching 115 meters from north to south and 80 meters from east to west, forming a rectangle oriented 60 degrees southeast. In the exact center of the western side of the platform, there is a square earthen mound that rises 3 meters above the foundation, with sides 15 meters long. Rammed earth layers can be seen on the northwest side of the mound, indicating the original built surface. This is the highest-altitude spot in the city.

The ground of the architectural foundation is scattered with green bricks, tubular tiles, flat tiles, beast-mask roof tiles, and ceramic shards, all identical to those unearthed at the Chagu’ao Tile Kiln Site, located 2 kilometers southwest of the ruins. This site is a remnant of a Liao Dynasty building. Yueliangpao was where Liao emperors came for their “spring hunting encampments.” Currently, scholars believe it may have been either an imperial temporary palace or a watchtower-like elevated structure serving defensive purposes.

Source: People’s Government of Da’an City, Jilin Province