Duke Huan of Qi’s Horse-Taming Platform

Duke Huan of Qi’s Horse-Taming Platform

Duke Huan of Qi’s Horse-Taming Platform is located in the town center of Xincheng. Legend has it that it was built during the reigns of ancient Dukes Huan and Jing of Qi and served as a site for training war horses. The southern part of the platform base is a gentle slope, while the northern edge is steep, with the highest point reaching 9 meters above the ground. It measures 104 meters from north to south and 135 meters from east to west, covering an area of 14,040 square meters. The aerial view shows a layout that is roughly rectangular at the front and rounded at the back. During the Ming and Qing periods, the platform base was more than twice as large as it is now. About three li (approximately 1.5 kilometers) north of the platform lies an ancient horse-watering pool, and further north was an ancient horse pasture—both recorded in old local chronicles, though only ruins remain today.

Since the establishment of Xincheng County, the platform has served as the site of the county government for most of its history. A temple dedicated to Dukes Huan and Jing was originally built on the platform but has since been demolished. In 1914, when the county name was changed from Xincheng to Huantai, it was named after this very platform.