Yongnian Ancient City

Yongnian Ancient City

Yongnian Ancient City is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Yongnian Ancient City is located about 5 kilometers from Linluo County, where the government of Yongnian County is based.

Yongnian Ancient City, also known as Guangfu Ancient City of Yongnian, has served as the seat of commanderies, prefectures, states, and counties throughout history. It was called Quliang during the Spring and Autumn Period and boasts a history of over 2,000 years. Dou Jiande, leader of the peasant uprising at the end of the Sui Dynasty, once established the Dashun Kingdom here, encouraged agriculture and sericulture, stationed his troops, and, based on strategic considerations, renovated the city to give it the scale of a fortified town. The original earthen wall spanned six li and thirteen paces, which was expanded to nine li and thirteen paces in the Yuan Dynasty, equivalent to 4.5 kilometers. In the 21st year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, Magistrate Chen Zu mobilized laborers from nine counties and spent 13 years transforming the earthen wall into a brick one. The wall stands 12 meters high and 8 meters wide, with gate towers built over each of the four gates, corner watchtowers at each of the four corners, and 876 battlements. Notably, barbicans were constructed outside each of the four gates, creating a deeply layered defense system that rendered the city impregnable.

Guangfu has many historical relics, such as Qinghui Academy, the Hall of the Confucius Temple (ruins), the Tomb of Mao Sui, Heilongtan Pool, the Former Residence of the Wu Family, the Zhuangyuan Building, Taihe Hall, and more. The city covers an area of 1.5 square kilometers. Historically, it hosted numerous official buildings, temples covering half the city, crisscrossing ancient streets, and bustling commerce. With over 30 streets divided into four major streets, eight minor streets, and 72 small turns, its former prosperity was beyond measure.

Recently, the legendary troop-tunnel of Dou Jiande was discovered within the ancient city. During his prolonged and fierce battles with Li Shimin, the Prince of Qin, for supremacy, Dou Jiande dug a tunnel from inside the city all the way to a spot thirty li outside the city. By shuttling the same troops back and forth through the tunnel, he created the illusion of greater military strength, successfully deceiving the enemy.

In 2006, Yongnian Ancient City was included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council as a Ming Dynasty ancient architectural site.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units