Yuanzhongdu National Archaeological Site Park

Yuanzhongdu National Archaeological Site Park

Yuanzhongdu National Archaeological Site Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

The Yuanzhongdu site is located in Mantouying Township, Zhangbei County, Hebei Province. It was initially built in the 11th year of the Yuandade era (1307 AD) during the Yuan Dynasty, and was as renowned at the time as the Yuan Dadu (present-day Beijing) and Yuan Shangdu (east of present-day Zhenglan Banner, Inner Mongolia). It was constructed by Emperor Wuzong Haisan of the Yuan Dynasty, the grandson of Kublai Khan, the founding emperor of the Yuan.

Yuanzhongdu was composed of three nested layers of walls: the outer city, the imperial city, and the palace city. The inner city had a rectangular layout with a perimeter of 2,360 meters. The middle city encased the inner city, covering an area of about 800,000 square meters. The palatial structures of Yuanzhongdu were designed along a central axis, with the main palace complex centered around Foundation No. 1 situated in the central-northern part of the inner city. The No. 1 palace foundation, serving as the main hall, was positioned at the heart of the inner city, featuring a "工"-shaped layout. The surface revealed architectural elements such as glazed tile ends, drip tiles, and decorative bricks. Among the unearthed artifacts was a Han white jade carved dragon head, exquisitely crafted and considered a masterpiece of Yuan Dynasty stone carving.

The excavation work at the Yuanzhongdu site has provided new insights for the study of the urban layout of Yuan Dynasty capitals in China. It holds significant academic value for exploring the rise and fall of Yuanzhongdu and conducting comparative studies among the Four Great Capitals of the Mongol-Yuan era (namely, Karakorum, Shangdu, Dadu, and Zhongdu).

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level