Xuanhua Ancient City

Xuanhua Ancient City

Xuanhua Ancient City is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

Nestled against Tailings Mountain to the north and bordering the Yanghe River to the south, Xuanhua City is a radiant pearl nestled within the intermontane basin of the eastern section of the Yin Mountains. In 1992, it was designated as a Historical and Cultural City by the People’s Government of Hebei Province, earning the reputation of “The Premier Prefecture West of Beijing.”

The history of the Xuanhua region stretches back to ancient times. As early as the Xia and Shang dynasties, Xuanhua was successively under the jurisdictions of Jizhou and Youzhou. During the Spring and Autumn Period, it was part of the northern frontier of the Yan State. Located at the transitional zone between the Inner Mongolia Plateau and the North China Plain, and at the strategic crossroads connecting the north and south, Xuanhua has historically been a gathering place for Han Chinese and ethnic minorities such as the Donghu. During the Warring States Period, the Yan general Qin Kai led troops to defeat the Donghu, expanding the territory by over a thousand li, and established the five commanderies of Shanggu, Yuyang, Youbeiping, Liaodong, and Liaoxi, with Xuanhua falling under Shanggu Commandery. After Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China, the empire was divided into 36 commanderies, and Xuanhua remained part of Shanggu Commandery. During the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang’s 19th son, Zhu Zhen, was enfeoffed in Xuanhua and was also known as the Gu King, named after his fief. In the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, the Xuanhua Prefecture government built a wooden single-arch glazed-tile hip-and-gable roof memorial archway called “Ancient Shanggu Commandery” at the eastern entrance of Tiantai Temple Street, to commemorate the long history of Xuanhua. The earliest use of the name “Xuanhua” dates back to the Jin Dynasty, though the administrative structure and name underwent several changes. It was used again in the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1693), when the Zhili governor Guo Shilong, aiming to reform local tax policies, petitioned the imperial court to abolish the Xuanfu Town garrison and establish Xuanhua Prefecture, overseeing three prefectures and eight counties. To signify “promoting the virtuous governance of the court and enlightening the populace,” the name “Xuanhua” was proposed and has been in use ever since.

According to the Ming Dynasty text “Xuanfu Town Regulations: Examination of Governance,” Xuanhua City was originally built by An Lushan, the military governor of Fanyang during the Tang Dynasty, under the pretext of strengthening border defenses, as he recruited troops and prepared for rebellion. At that time, it was called Xiongwu Army City, and it dates back approximately 1,260 years. As an important military and transportation hub, Xuanhua gradually became a key center for military, political, commercial, and cultural activities in the ancient northern frontier. During the Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties, Xuanhua was a frequent meeting place for nobles from the Liao and Mongol states, and the city housed numerous royal palaces and villas. The original Xuanhua City was entirely built of earthen walls, and large-scale expansion occurred during the Ming Dynasty. In 1368, when the Ming Dynasty established its capital in Nanjing, troops were sent northward. General Tang He led forces to Xuanfu Prefecture, where they stationed troops and cultivated land, turning Xuanfu City into a garrison town. In the fourth year of the Hongwu reign (1371), with changes to the Ming military structure, Xuanfu was designated as the headquarters of the Wanquan Regional Military Command, equivalent to a provincial military district, overseeing 15 guards and 2 prefectures. Guards were comparable to modern military divisions, with only Xuanfu City hosting the Xuanfu Front Guard, Wanquan Left Guard, and Wanquan Right Guard. The numerous institutions and garrisons made the small Xuanfu City extremely crowded, forcing many offices to be located outside the city walls. In the 24th year of the Hongwu reign (1391), the Gu King Zhu Zhen arrived in Xuanfu after being enfeoffed and began constructing a princely mansion in the northwest corner outside the original city. To maintain the central position of the mansion, in the 27th year of Hongwu, the Xuanfu City was expanded westward and northward to double its size, reaching its current scale. Due to the expansion of the city and slow population growth, the newly built Xuanfu City was very spacious, so from the early Ming period, a large number of temples and official residences were constructed, gradually forming a street stretching from the southern “Changping Gate” to the northern “Guangling Gate.” The city center also shifted to the area around the present Bell Tower, resulting in the magnificent and imposing Xuanhua City, which spans a total length of 12,120 meters.

Xuanhua District currently has three national cultural relic protection units comprising six sites: Xuanhua Ancient City (including the Qingyuan Tower, Zhenshuo Tower, Gongji Tower, and ancient city walls), the Lower Bali Liao Tombs (including Zone I and Zone II), and the Shien Temple. There are also four provincial-level cultural relic protection units comprising five sites: the Brick Carved Five Dragon Wall, Lihua Temple Pagoda, No. 16 Middle School and Catholic Church, and the Former Site of the Chahar Provincial Democratic Government. Additionally, there are 19 municipal and district-level cultural relic protection units.

Standing majestically along the main axis of Xuanhua City are three ancient architectural treasures with soaring flying eaves and exquisite designs: the Qingyuan Tower, Zhenshuo Tower, and Gongji Tower. The Qingyuan Tower, also known as the Bell Tower, was first built in the 18th year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty (1482). In 1988, it was approved and announced by the State Council as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site. It is a wooden structure with a double-eaved, multi-angular, cross-ridged, hip-and-gable roof, and is one of the iconic ancient buildings of Xuanhua. The second floor houses a bronze bell cast in the 18th year of the Jiajing reign (1539), which is octagonal in shape, 2.5 meters high, 1.7 meters in diameter, and weighs approximately ten thousand pounds. It served as the bell of Xuanfu Town and resonates loudly, audible within a 40-li radius. The plaque on the north side of the tower reads “Sound Reaches Heaven,” accurately describing the far-reaching chime. The arched passageway beneath the tower connects to the ancient streets of the time, and the stone-paved ground retains deep ruts over 20 centimeters deep, recreating the bustling scene of traffic flowing in all directions through Xuanhua in its heyday. The Zhenshuo Tower (Drum Tower) is the tallest and most magnificent ancient structure in Xuanhua Ancient City. Built in the fifth year of the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty (1440), it derives its name from the “Zhenshuo General” seal worn by the garrison commander stationed in Xuanfu. In 1996, it was approved and announced by the State Council as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site. The tower is a wooden structure with a double-eaved, nine-ridged, hip-and-gable roof covered in tiles, majestic and solemn in appearance. The Zhenshuo Tower also preserves a large wooden plaque personally inscribed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty during his inspection of the northern frontier in 1745, reading “Screen of the Divine Capital.” Measuring 2.4 meters in height and 6.6 meters in length, it is hung on the north side of the tower, symbolizing that Xuanhua serves as a protective barrier for Beijing.

During the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, four city towers and four corner towers were built in Xuanhua. Among them, the Changping Gate Tower, now known as the Gongji Tower and commonly referred to as the South Gate Tower, is part of Xuanhua’s ancient city defense architecture. It features an outer crescent moon wall, barbican, and gate fortress, making it the only surviving city gate tower with a gate fortress. In 2006, when the sixth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites was announced by the State Council, the Qingyuan Tower, Zhenshuo Tower, Gongji Tower (including the Xuanhua city walls) were collectively referred to as Xuanhua Ancient City. The Lower Bali Liao Dynasty Murals Tomb Cluster is located in Lower Bali Village of Xuanhua Ancient City. The murals painted on the ceilings and walls of these tombs depict over thirty themes, including ensemble music scenes, travel scenes, astronomical charts, and tea ceremonies, reflecting various aspects of Liao Dynasty history such as science, economy, religion, culture, and art. Zone I of the tomb cluster is a family cemetery from the late Liao Dynasty and was named one of the “Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries in China” in 1993. It became a Major National Historical and Cultural Site in 1996. On the ceiling of the rear chamber of Tomb No. 1, a celestial chart combining China’s traditional 28 lunar mansions and the Western zodiac is painted—this hybrid astronomical chart is the first of its kind discovered in China and is an important resource for studying ancient Chinese astronomy. Zone II of the tomb cluster is a Khitan cemetery, incorporated into the Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in 2006 and collectively referred to as the Lower Bali Liao Dynasty Murals Tomb Cluster along with Zone I. Additionally, the Shien Temple, which dates back over 500 years, features a main hall with a single-eaved, nine-rafter hip-and-gable roof. The hip-and-gable roof, also known as the “four-slope roof,” was commonly used in early Chinese architecture and holds significant cultural value. It was approved and announced by the State Council as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site in 2006.

Xuanhua District has carefully crafted the historical and cultural tourism brand of “The Premier Prefecture West of Beijing,” and is developing seven premium tourist attractions: the Great Liao Culture City Scenic Area, the City Wall Ruins Scenic Area, the Ming and Qing Ancient Culture Street Scenic Area, the Religious Culture Scenic Area, the Pangjiabao Natural Ecology Tourist Area, the Grape Picking Eco-Leisure Tourist Area, and the Military Revolutionary Traditional Education Scenic Area. In 2008, the Xuanhua Cultural Ancient City Scenic Area was rated as a National AAA-level Tourist Attraction by the Hebei Provincial Tourism Attraction Quality Rating Committee. The rich cultural heritage has nurtured unique folk customs. The Wanghewan Waist Drum features drumbeats as fluid as flowing clouds, with the classic rhythm “Phoenix Head” showcasing distinctive folk artistry. Xuanhua paper-cutting breaks beyond the limits of “cutting” and “paper,” representing a new form of paper-cutting art that blends folk paper-cutting with Chinese freehand brushwork. Dozens of traditional snacks such as White Honey Cake, Sugar Pull, and Oil Cloth Bag preserve the unique flavors nurtured by the land of Xuanhua.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units