Ruichi Ancient City Ruins

Ruichi Ancient City Ruins

The Ruichi Ancient City Ruins are a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

The town of Ruichi, where the Ruichi Ancient City Ruins are located, boasts a long history and profound cultural heritage. Nearby the ruins are sites such as Luoquandi, the old city wall, and the Pixmap Temple. From the periods of Yao, Shun, and Yu to the Xia Dynasty, it served as the capital of the Yuling Kingdom. During the Shang Dynasty, it was briefly the capital of the Fengboling Kingdom. From the Western Zhou to the Spring and Autumn periods, it was either a territory or the capital of the Fuyuqiu Kingdom. In the Warring States period, it was the Yuling Yi of the Qi State, under the jurisdiction of the Qi Commandery in the Qin Dynasty. The Western Han Dynasty established Yuling County under the Jinan Commandery of the Qingzhou Prefecture. During Wang Mang’s Xin Dynasty, it was renamed Yulu County. The Jin Dynasty changed Yuling County to Wuling County, which was soon abolished. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Emperor Xiaowu of the Liu Song Dynasty established Wuqiang County on the former site of Yuling County, along with the Guangchuan Commandery. The Northern Wei Dynasty of the Southern and Northern Dynasties changed Wuqiang County to Fengling County. The later Qi Dynasty of the Southern and Northern Dynasties renamed the Guangchuan Commandery to Dongpingyuan Commandery. In the third year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (583 AD), the commandery was abolished, and Jinan County was newly established (present-day Pingyuanzhuang in Haosheng Town, Zouping County). In the 18th year of the Kaihuang era (598 AD), Wuqiang County was renamed Changshan County, named after the nearby Changbai Mountain. The county seat of Changshan County was moved from Yuling City to the area of the Guangchuan Commandery, and the city was abandoned. Chen Zhongzi, a virtuous man of the Qi State during the Warring States period, once lived here. He was a descendant of the noble Tian family of the Qi State, enfeoffed in Yuling, and also known as the Yulingzi. He adhered to the principle of “not serving the king above, not managing his household below, and not seeking alliances with feudal lords in between.” His work, Yulingzi, has been passed down through generations and was highly praised by Mencius. The town of Ruichi is located at the southernmost tip of Zouping County, at the junction of Binzhou, Zibo, and Jinan, with National Highway 309 and Wangwei Road running concurrently across the town from north to south for 15 kilometers. The Jiaoji Railway passes along the town, offering uniquely superior natural conditions. The three major industries of agriculture, tourism, and private enterprises are distinctive, and the town has earned the reputation of “Hometown of Building Materials” due to its nearly 100 building material enterprises.

The ancient city ruins are located at "Datangdi" in Gucheng Village, Ruichi Town. Dating back to the Warring States period, the site was established as Yuling County in the Han Dynasty, and later became part of Wuling County, Wuqiang County, and Changshan County. It is situated on a high platform with red sandy clay soil, forming a square-shaped plot. There is a well within the ruins, and the Jiaoji Railway lies 250 meters to the east. The site stretches 147 meters from east to west and 120 meters from north to south, with a key protected area of 17,640 square meters. The surface exposes Han Dynasty pottery shards, roof tiles, cloud-patterned and tree-patterned half-tile ends. Drilling surveys revealed that the cultural layer is about 1.4 meters thick, with some areas still containing artifacts below 4 meters. Remnants such as sand-tempered red pottery, sand-tempered gray pottery, and gray pottery fragments have been discovered.

On June 23, 2015, the Ruichi Ancient City Ruins were designated as part of the fifth batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units by the People's Government of Shandong Province.

Ruichi Town: Located at the southernmost tip of Zouping County, Ruichi Town sits at the junction of Binzhou, Zibo, and Jinan. National Highway 309 and Wangwei Road run concurrently across the town from north to south for 15 kilometers, and the Jiaoji Railway passes along the town. Covering a total area of 50.3 square kilometers, the town governs 5 management areas and 43 administrative villages. County-level roads run from north to south, providing convenient road transport. The Baiyun Mountains undulate beautifully, offering rich resources, simple folk customs, and uniquely superior natural conditions. The three major industries of agriculture, tourism, and private enterprises are distinctive. … Ruichi Town detailed information++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units