Ruins of the White City

Ruins of the White City

The Bai Chengzi Ruins are a cultural relics protection unit of Hebei Province.

This national key cultural relics protection unit, located 15 kilometers northwest of the county seat, was the third-largest capital city of the Yuan Dynasty after Dadu and Shangdu. It enjoyed great prestige in the world at that time in terms of political status, urban scale, and economic culture. The ruins are situated in Bai Chengzi, within the territory of Mantouying Township in Zhangbei County, and are the best-preserved among the three major capitals of the Yuan Dynasty.

The ruins consist of an inner palace city, an imperial city, and an outer city, arranged in a “回” (square nested within a square) formation. The walls of the inner palace city are well-preserved, while those of the imperial city appear as earthen ridges. The architectural layout has been identified, and a large number of building components have been unearthed, including stone, pottery, iron, wood, jade carvings, and brick carvings, as well as copper, iron, and bone artifacts. Among the finds, a relatively intact Han white marble carved dragon head at the corner of a wall showcases exquisite craftsmanship, considered one of the finest examples of Yuan Dynasty sculpture. A uniquely designed Han white marble relief corner pillar stone, featuring a swimming dragon playing with a pearl as the main motif and peony leaves as the background, is a rare treasure from the Yuan Dynasty. Particularly noteworthy is the brick-carved elephant-eye design on the southern side of the eastern walkway of the front hall, which is regarded as a priceless relic. The exposed building foundations exhibit both the legacy of Sui, Tang, Song, and Liao architecture and elements reflected in Ming and Qing structures. Notably rare in the history of ancient Chinese architecture are the “I”-shaped central hall, the south gate with its triple-eaved, triple-bay, and three-door-frame beam-column structure, and the uniquely designed triple-courtyard corner towers. These provide valuable research evidence for archaeology, ancient architecture, and historical studies. The site offers viewing value for audiences of diverse cultural backgrounds. It was named one of the “Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries in China in 1999.” Currently, the construction of a heritage park integrating archaeological research, Mongol-Yuan imperial architecture, grassland folk culture, and Bashang plateau plant cultivation has commenced. Meanwhile, under the guidance of national, provincial, and municipal cultural heritage authorities, efforts to apply for UNESCO World Heritage status have begun.

Bai Chengzi Village: The Bai Chengzi administrative village is located in the northern part of Mantouying Township, about one kilometer from the township center. The Bai Chengzi administrative village consists of two natural villages: Bai Chengzi and Jishan Village. …… More details about Bai Chengzi Village++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Hebei Province