Ancient Town of Zouwu

Ancient Town of Zouwu

Zouwu was an important town in Yixian County during the Ming and Qing dynasties, where the Yixian County Patrol Office of the Ming Dynasty was located. With a long history, beautiful environment, fertile land, and abundant mineral resources, Zouwu has been a significant locale since ancient times. As early as prehistoric periods, the eminent hermit Xu You was drawn to the area and took up residence in Chenheo, northeast of Zouwu. To the east of Chenheo lies Xu You Spring, the very spot where Xu You once drank. The spring flows southwest through Zouwu and then further westward, known as the Xu You River, which connects to the Panlong River to the west and eventually flows into Peize (now Weishan Lake), serving as a waterway for Xu You to travel between Chenheo and Peize. The Xu You Spring and River, named after this ancient celebrity, have a history of over 4,000 years and still flow continuously to this day. During the Western Han Dynasty, this area was a prosperous and densely populated agricultural region. In the early Han period, Xinyang County was established north of the town, and later in the late Western Han, the Xinyang Marquisate was also set up here. From the Northern and Southern Dynasties through the Five Dynasties, Tang, Song, Yuan, and until the late Ming Dynasty, this region was a renowned center for ceramic production in northern China. In the Qing Dynasty, coal mining and quarrying industries were also quite thriving. As a result, the area boasts many scenic spots and historical sites, most notably the “Spectacular Tomb Hill,” as well as Xu You Spring, Yong’an Temple, and Chenheo Town, all of which were popular ancient tourist destinations.

“Xu You Spring” derives its name from the fact that Xu You once stayed here. Legend has it that Xu You, a noble hermit from Yangcheng in ancient times, declined the throne offered to him by Emperor Yao and chose to live in seclusion in Peize (Weishan Lake). When Yao and his eldest son, Kao Jianming, came looking for him in Peize, Xu You traveled eastward along the Panlong River to Chenheo and took up residence near Xu You Spring. Later, Yao granted the area of Liuzi (now submerged under the lake) to Kao Jianming’s son, establishing the “Liuzi Kingdom.” The Ming Dynasty’s Wanli-era “Yanzhou Prefecture Records” considers it credible that Xu You visited Chenheo, stating: “Xu You Spring is located forty li west of the county and one li east of Chenheo Market. The spring has two or three outlets with clear water, surrounded by an ancient stream lined with old trees, flowing past Qingzhang Bridge into the canal. According to Lüshi Chunqiu, Emperor Yao visited Xu You in Peize and invited him to govern the realm. Yixian and Pei were neighboring regions, so this must be Xu You Spring.” Xu You Spring has been a scenic attraction throughout the ages, not only for its historical significance but also for its breathtaking scenery: “The Xu You Spring pool is over ten feet deep, with water gushing up as if boiling, crystal clear to the bottom, emerging from the flat ground with splashing beads and blooming patterns.” During the Tang Dynasty, Yong’an Temple was built nearby, with the spring encircling it like a ribbon, while the temple grounds were shaded by ancient trees, creating a serene atmosphere. The temple borrowed the spring’s name, and the spring flowed beside the temple, attracting many scholars and poets who came here seeking tranquility. During the Song Dynasty, the temple was called Yan Gong Temple, and in the Yuan Dynasty, it was renamed Da Yun Temple. Despite several name changes, it remained highly popular among worshippers.

“Chenheo Ceramic Town” thrived for over a thousand years from the Northern and Southern Dynasties through the Five Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, and until the late Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Jiajing era, the prominent Dong family of Chenheo ceramics was at the height of its success, even producing a “Tan Hua” (imperial examination top-three scholar). The Dong family owned numerous buildings including towers, pavilions, courtyards, and ponds that once occupied half of Chenheo. Today, to the southwest of Chenheo, there is a three-acre burial site belonging to the Dong family’s Tan Hua scholar. Remnants of inscriptions from the Dong family garden and burial site reveal both the picturesque surroundings of Chenheo Ceramic Town and the prosperity of its ceramic industry at the time. An inscription from “Chenheo Town Shiyong Pavilion” reads: “Lofty and serene, the scenery lies east and west; a jade-like wave encircles the village as it flows. Flowers bloom in all seasons, red and green in vivid display; mist drapes over peaks, purple and emerald hues afloat. The imperial route follows the rivers of Xu and Yanzhou; carts and ships depart for the capital. This pavilion carries the weight of the local lore; the rural folk sing praises to the north.” Another poem, “Ode to the Rear Pavilion Pond,” states: “A jade-paved heavenly pool, fair beyond autumn’s fade; bees sense closed doors, butterflies shy from windows made. Tree shadows thin before the eaves, cloud blossoms dense in the courtyard; two Li’s geese are barred from flight, as laughter echoes on moonlit boat rides.” These inscriptions not only depict the beauty of the Dong family’s estates and the scenic charm of Chenheo Town, but they also reflect how Chenheo ceramics were transported via the Panlong River and the east-west official roads of Yixian County, loaded onto carts and ships, and sent along the north-south Xu-Yanzhou route all the way to the capital. Nestled against mountains and close to rivers, with springs scattered all around, Chenheo also features a single-arch stone bridge built during the Tang Dynasty. The idyllic imagery described—flowers blooming year-round, a jade-like river encircling the village, misty purple mountain ranges, and a tranquil garden town flanked by scenic bridges—is consistent with Chenheo’s actual landscape. The bridge mentioned, commonly known as the “Camelback Bridge,” was built during the Tang Dynasty and, despite a millennium of history, still stands in the village. It serves as a testament to the thousand-year rise and fall of Chenheo Ceramic Town and, as a historical relic, deserves preservation. There are no historical records detailing when Chenheo Ceramic Town declined. According to legend, in the late Ming Dynasty, the Dong family fell afoul of imperial prohibitions, leading to the emperor confiscating their property. The ceramic artisans of Chenheo then moved to Boshan, causing the decline of Chenheo ceramics and the rise of those in Boshan. Although Chenheo ceramics faded away, as a major ceramic town in northern China, its reasons for rise and fall, the quality of its products, and the designs of its patterns remain worthy of research. The kiln sites and many relics of the former ceramic town still exist and can serve as valuable tourism resources for development.

“Spectacular Tomb Hill” amazes due to its scale, quantity, craftsmanship, and depth. Its vastness lies in the enormous cemetery area, spanning approximately 1 million square meters—a rarity even nationwide. Its diversity is reflected in the wide variety of stone carvings, featuring nearly every type of artwork seen in Han Dynasty stone reliefs across China. Its refinement is shown in the exquisitely carved tomb stones, all polished to perfection. Its depth refers to the visible tombs on the surface, while many more chambers lie hidden beneath the mountainside and surrounding areas, yet to be discovered—posing numerous mysteries waiting to be excavated, explored, and studied. The “Yixian County Annals • Mountains and Rivers” states: “Tomb Hill features steep terrain and is covered with ancient tombs, clustered like earthen mounds. Those who have explored the collapsed ones report that the inner corridors and rooms were all hewn from stone. Further in, the passages twist and turn into pitch darkness, frightening explorers into retreat—likely the tombs of notable figures from antiquity.” The Shen Bao newspaper on June 7, 1936 (1936 AD) reported: “There are seventy to eighty ancient tombs on Tomb Hill, densely clustered, far larger in scale than the Cao Wang Tombs of Teng County by several times. The tomb chambers are entirely covered in Han Dynasty stone reliefs, with exquisite patterns. Nearby village homes often use these Han relief stones as wall foundations, found everywhere.” The “Zaozhuang Cultural Relics Annals” note: “Villagers still frequently encounter ancient tombs while building houses, quarrying stone, or leveling land. These are all stone-chambered or stone-box tombs, with relief carvings depicting figures, architecture, and mythical beasts.” Locals have surveyed the tombs on the hill. Tomb Hill, standing 233.4 meters tall, has three layers of tombs at its summit. The first layer, at the peak, contains one large tomb measuring 30 meters in both length and width, and 3 meters in height. The second layer, in a depression south of the peak, features two medium-sized tombs at the front, each 20 meters in length and width, and 2 meters in height; five smaller tombs about 10 meters in size and 1.5 meters in height to the west; and three small tombs, also about 10 meters in size and 1.5 meters in height, to the east. The third layer, within a depression south of the second layer, includes seven medium-small tombs at the front, each about 20 meters in size and 2 meters in height, and four small tombs, about 6 meters in size and 1 meter in height, to the east. On the western side of the hill, there are three meticulously constructed stone caves, though it is unknown whether they contain tombs. Below the hill, tomb chambers are buried underground around Tomb Mountain Village and the areas between Tomb Mountain, Liugou, and Mazhuang villages. Only the large tomb in Mazhuang remains above ground. Legend says this tomb once covered an area of one mu and six fen (approx. 1,000+ sqm), with the remaining earthen mound now 6 meters high and 30 meters in diameter. By extrapolation, the large tombs on the hill, having endured over 2,000 years of weathering, still measure 30 meters in diameter—suggesting they may have been three to five times larger originally. Before the establishment of New China, a tomb chamber collapsed in a flat area south of Tomb Mountain Village and northwest of Liugou Village. Those who entered described a spacious and grand interior, with all stone walls covered in exquisitely carved patterns. At the entrance was a square courtyard, with passageways on all four sides. Every ten meters or so, another square courtyard appeared, each with passages on all sides, continuing endlessly into the darkness. No one dared venture beyond the third or fourth levels of courtyards. Since ancient times, local officials and residents have speculated about this three-li (approx. 1.5 km) square tomb area: First, the three cave entrances on the hill might be tomb entrances, though none have been entered. Second, legends vary about the underground square courtyards and corridors—some say they connect to the hill, others claim they are all above ground, covering a vast area. In ancient times of war, villagers supposedly hid food and clothing in the tomb area. Third, such a massive tomb complex with such refined carvings must have been built by some powerful clan or dynasty, though no ancient texts confirm this. However, it definitely wasn’t the tomb of Liu Yong, the Marquis of Xinyang from the Western Han’s Xinyang County. Historical records show that in May of the second year of the Hongjia era (19 BC), Liu Yong, son of King Qing of Lu, was granted the title of Marquis of Xinyang. His legacy ended shortly after his son, Liu Ji, was stripped of the title for crimes. Spanning just two decades, and with the Western Han Dynasty falling to the Xin Dynasty just 27 years after Liu Yong’s enfeoffment, such a short-lived noble lineage could not have commissioned such an expansive tomb complex. Nor could the small Xinyang County have afforded it. Who, then, built the grand tomb area of Tomb Hill? Historians continue to explore and debate. Yet, if the rumors of vast underground courtyards and corridors connecting to the hill are true, it would count as one of Shandong’s great “miracles.” Even if not nationally sensational, it would still be a worthy tourist attraction for Shandong. (By Zhang Dainan)