Ancient Site of Xiao City

Ancient Site of Xiao City

The Ancient Site of Xiao City is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shandong Province.

The Ancient Site of Xiao City is located in Xiao Cheng Village, southeast of Beiguantao Town, Guan County, and is currently a provincial-level cultural heritage site.

This ancient site was a city from the Song Dynasty, built in the first year of the Jingde era (1004 AD). It was originally a military garrison constructed by Empress Xiao of the Liao Dynasty and her son, Emperor Shengzong of Liao, during their attack on Chanyuan, hence it is also called Xiao City, Zhuma City, or Xiema City.

The city walls of Xiao City were built from rammed earth, forming a square with each side approximately 1,250 meters long and a perimeter of 5,000 meters. The base of the wall is 26 meters wide, the top is 8 meters wide, and the height is 13 meters. The moat surrounding the city is 80 meters wide. The remaining northeast corner of the city wall stands 12 meters high, the southwest corner 10 meters high, and the northwest and southeast corners about 8 meters high. At the four corners, bastion-like structures known as “arrow towers” were built outward along the right angles. The north and south gates face each other and are designed in the form of a barbican. The city has four gates, all of which are pivot gates. Outside the east gate lies a moat about 80 meters wide. Inside the city lies the ruins of the “General Pointing Platform,” believed to be the place where Empress Xiao reviewed troops and mustered soldiers. It is about 5 meters high, covers an area of over 10 square meters, and features rammed layers that are 15 centimeters thick, relatively uniform and well-constructed, likely serving as a former military review ground or ceremonial site. Additionally, there are sites such as the Millstone Cave, Beacon Tower, Seventy-Two Wells, and the “Ten-Thousand-Man Pit” where Empress Xiao reportedly executed surrendered or captured enemies.

[Related Links] Empress Xiao, whose given name was Chuo and courtesy name Yan Yan, was of Khitan ethnicity. She was the empress of Emperor Jingzong of Liao, Yelü Xian. In 982, after Emperor Jingzong’s death, his young son Emperor Shengzong ascended the throne, and Empress Xiao became the regent due to the emperor’s minority. In 986, the Song Dynasty sent generals Cao Bin, Pan Mei, and Yang Ye to lead a three-pronged attack against Liao. Empress Xiao personally led Emperor Shengzong to the frontline to direct the battle, decisively defeating the Song army and capturing the famed Song general Yang Ye at Shuozhou. Yang Ye refused to surrender to Liao and died after three days. His story later inspired the tales of the Yang Family Generals. In 1004, Empress Xiao and Emperor Shengzong led their forces southward, directly threatening the city of Chanzhou (modern-day Puyang in Henan Province), posing a threat to the Song capital. Following negotiations, the Liao and Song Dynasties signed the “Chanyuan Alliance,” after which there were no major conflicts between the two states.

Beiguantao Town: Beiguantao Town is located in the northwest of Guan County. To the west, it faces Guantao County of Hebei Province across the Zhangwei River, and to the north, it borders Yandian Town of Linqing City. The town covers an area of 52 square kilometers, governs 56 administrative villages, has 50,000 mu of arable land, and a population of 32,000. The town center, Beiguantao, was established in the second year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty (606 AD) and was once the site of the county seat.

Beiguantao Town enjoys convenient transportation, being only 5 kilometers away from the Jiliao Railway Expressway and the Jihan Railway. Provincial Road 008, Houma Highway, and Guanbei Highway all intersect within the town. Its communication infrastructure is advanced and well-developed; in 2000, it became the first telephone town in the county. The town's power transmission and transformation capacity... Detailed information about Beiguantao Town++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites