Luchenggang City Site

Luchenggang City Site

Luchenggang City Site is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

The Luchenggang site is a relic of an ancient city from the Western Zhou Dynasty, located in Xingtai City. In May 2013, it was designated as part of the seventh batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level by the State Council. On May 3, 2013, the National Cultural Heritage Administration announced the list of the seventh batch of such sites.

According to historical documents, the State of Xing had three major phases of city wall construction: “King Zu Yi of Shang relocated to Xing”; “King Cheng of Zhou enfeoffed the son of the Duke of Zhou in Xing, establishing the State of Xing”; and “during the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Huan of Qi assisted in building the Yiyi City (traditionally believed to be around Jiangshui) for the Xing people.” The current old city of Xingtai is believed, based on research, to have been built during the Han Dynasty.

Current Condition

There is no doubt that this site is an ancient city ruin. The rammed earth layers and impact marks within the city walls are very distinct. Although parts of the walls have been damaged, the western and southern sections still stand about 6 meters above the ground, making the outline of the ancient city quite visible from afar. The rammed earth used in the walls is very pure. This city was likely built quite early, possibly during the Western Zhou period.

Cultural Relics Value

Mr. Shi Yongshi, head of the expert group from the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics, also preliminarily believes that: the remains of the ancient city are quite evident. Based on the scale of the city walls, the foundation, the rammed earth layers, the impact marks, and unearthed pottery shards and tiles, it is judged that the construction of these walls may predate the Spring and Autumn Period, and is likely related to the capital of the State of Xing. If further archaeological work confirms this judgment to be correct, it will play a crucial role in the study of the civilizations of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. “Xingtai holds a very important position in China’s archaeological circles and is a sensitive area for the national project of dating the Xia, Shang, and Zhou periods,” said Duan Hongzhen, an expert from the Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, after conducting an investigation. “The ancient city walls at Luchenggang have distinct sections of rammed earth clearly exposed above ground, representing early ancient city wall ruins. However, their exact date is currently unclear, and conclusions cannot be drawn without archaeological surveys and research. If verified, it could resolve academic debates that have lasted for years. Its significance is immense, and the impact far-reaching.”

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level