Yuecheng Ancient City

Yuecheng Ancient City

Yuecheng Ancient City is an ancient historical site dating back to the Warring States period. The ancient city of Yuecheng is located 10 li northwest of the town center of Dige Town and 200 meters west of Yuecheng Village. The eastern part of the ancient city was built against the mountain ridge, essentially using the ridge as the eastern city wall. The northern, western, and southern walls were all constructed by ramming a mixture of quartz sand and soil. The ancient city is higher in the north and lower in the south, approximately two li in both length and width, roughly square in shape. The city walls are about 5 meters high and 10–15 meters wide, with the enclosed area covering around four to five hundred mu. There is a local legend referring to it as the “land of 4.8 qing” (a small kingdom’s capital). There were city gates in the north, west, and southwest, with the southwest gate being the largest and most prominent. A major road running in a northeast-southwest direction passed through the city. As there are no historical records documenting the construction of the ancient city, its exact age remains unknown. Local folklore suggests it was built by King Yue during his battles with King Lanling, though this lacks historical evidence. Analysis of pottery shards, ancient ant-nose coins (commonly called "Yin You"), and Han dynasty tombs found on top of the city walls indicate that the city was likely built before the Han dynasty, probably during the Spring and Autumn or Warring States periods.

On December 7, 2006, Yuecheng Ancient City was designated as part of the third batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units by the People's Government of Shandong Province.

Dige Town: Dige Town is located in the southeastern part of Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, at the junction of two provinces (Shandong and Jiangsu) and four counties (Pizhou, Taierzhuang District, Yicheng District, and Cangshan County). It boasts a long history, abundant talent, rich resources, and convenient transportation. It lies 20 kilometers east of [highway missing] and 88 kilometers west of Xuzhou Guanyin Airport, as well as 26 kilometers from the Beijing-Fuzhou Expressway and Zaozhuang West Railway Station. To the south, it neighbors the Taierzhuang terminal of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and Provincial Highway 234 runs through the town. The town administers 46 administrative villages, covers an area of 71.5 square kilometers, has a population of 50,000, and includes 53,000 mu of arable land.

Within Dige Town…… More detailed information about Dige Town++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units