Ancient Deer City

Ancient Deer City

Ancient Deer City is located about 5 kilometers southwest of present-day Funan County, on the southern bank of the Gu River. The rectangular ruins of the ancient city are clearly distinguishable, measuring approximately 1,500 meters from east to west and 1,000 meters from north to south. The rammed earth city walls rise above the ground, and the low-lying farmland beneath the walls is believed to be the former moat. Local villages still use ancient place names such as Chengli (City Inside), Chengjiao (City Corner), Qianlou (Front Tower), and Houlou (Rear Tower), collectively known as "Ruan City Towers." There were 16 ancient wells within the city, some of which still provide water. On the stone rim of a well located north of the road outside the eastern gate of Ruan City, there is a broken stele inscribed with the words "Ancient Pingyu County Rebuilt Lotus Temple Stele." Since the liberation, cultural relics unearthed in this area include bronze weapons from the Warring States period such as ge (dagger-axes), arrowheads, bows, and halberds; pottery items such as ding (tripod cauldrons), jars, stoves, and pots; Chu state ant nose coins, Qin ban liang coins, Han wu zhu coins, Xin dynasty huo quan coins, and da quan wushi coins, as well as Han dynasty bronze mirrors, bronze seals, and bronze belt hooks.

In the Spring and Autumn period, the ancient city was called Lushang, belonging to the State of Song, and later came under the control of the State of Chu. During the Western Han dynasty, it was established as Yuannu County, under the jurisdiction of Yuyang Commandery. In the Eastern Han dynasty, it became the Principality of Yuannu, and in the Jin dynasty, it belonged to Ruyin. During the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, Pingyu County was established here but was abolished during the Qi and Zhou periods.