The Ancient City of Ju State

The Ancient City of Ju State

The Ancient City of Ju State is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

The Ancient City of Ju State was the capital of the three ancient states of Ju from the Spring and Autumn period to the early Warring States period. It is located around the current county town of Ju County, bordered by the Shu River to the east and the Liuqing River to the west. The ancient city consists of an inner and outer section, covering an area of approximately 25 square kilometers. Large sections of the city walls still remain and remain majestic to this day.

The northwest corner of the ancient city is located 50 meters south of Qianchengzihou Village, with the western wall extending to Liujia Caiyuan, Hanjia Caiyuan, and then to Xiaoqiling in Nanguan Village to the east. The southeast corner has long been submerged and cannot be traced. The eastern wall passes through to the west of Fujiawa, an area known as "Chengzi." The northern wall reaches the front of the county fertilizer plant. At the northwest corner of the outer city, known as "Chengzikou," there are two remaining wall segments, 200 meters long and 3 meters high, on both the eastern and western sides. To the southeast, up to the Weixu Highway, there is a clearly visible elevated area, especially around "Xiaoqiling," where the wall base remains over 2 meters high.

Within the city, the sites of iron smelting, coin minting, and pottery workshops are clearly visible. The grand city of Ju State stands as a testament to the luxurious lifestyle of its nobility in those times. In addition, other towns under the jurisdiction of Ju included Jiegen, Tan, Quyu, Geng, Mi, Jizhang, Xiang, Shoushu, Shouyu, Dapang, Puhoushi, Changyimiu, and Fang. During the Spring and Autumn period, Ju State was a powerful nation, frequently participating in alliances and wars among the various states and annexing many smaller neighboring states. As the capital of Ju State, Ju City became a political, economic, and cultural center in ancient eastern China. According to the *Commentary on the Water Classic*, “The city had three layers, all towering and steep, with only one gate opening to the south. The inner city was 12 li square, and the outer wall spanned about 40 li.” In the Yuan Dynasty, one sub-city was reduced, and in the Ming Dynasty, it was bricked, hence the sayings “Ju City’s Three Layers” or “Threefold Ju Prefecture.” Currently, 1,650 meters of ruined walls remain, standing 7 to 8 meters high and 40 meters wide.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Shandong Province