Zhuolu Three Ancestors Cultural Square

Zhuolu Three Ancestors Cultural Square

Zhuolu in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, is a historically renowned cradle of civilization in China. Blessed by nature’s splendor and shaped by the land’s beauty, it is regarded as the origin of Huaxia culture and the root of the Chinese nation. The Three Ancestors Culture of Zhuolu represents the collective legacy of the Chinese ancestors—symbolized by the Yellow Emperor, the Yan Emperor, and Chiyou—who, through prolonged exploration, conflict, adaptation, and deepening cooperation, ultimately forged a shared heritage following the Fushan Alliance. It is embodied by the dragon, a totem universally recognized by the Chinese people, and rooted in the ideals of great ethnic integration, unity, and harmony. This cultural ideology and consciousness have driven social progress and development.

In 1992, historian Mr. Ren Changhua, through research into ancient cultural sites such as the Yellow Emperor’s City, Banquan, and Chiyou Spring in the Fan Mountain area of Zhuolu, along with unearthed relics, historical documents, and local folklore, first proposed the concept of “Three Ancestors Culture.” He authored the book The Original Theory of Three Ancestors Culture, which for the first time placed Chiyou alongside the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor as a humanistic ancestor of the Chinese nation. This broke with the traditional notion of “the victor as king, the vanquished as bandit,” established the belief that the Chinese nation shares common ancestry, and clarified that ancestral culture is the essence of patriotism and the foundation of ethnic unity. [2]

The Three Ancestors Cultural Square is located on Xuanyuan West Road in Zhuolu County. As one of the largest and most upscale cultural squares in Zhangjiakou, it is rich in local characteristics and cultural significance. It serves as the county’s first large-scale cultural and leisure venue and was one of Zhuolu’s Top Ten People’s Livelihood Projects in 2009. The square was completed and opened to the public on May 28, 2009. Covering an area of 140 mu (approximately 9.3 hectares), with a total investment of over 60 million yuan, it was designed to maintain ecological balance, improve environmental quality, and provide recreational space for residents. Key features include the main flower bed, five Golden Water Bridges, the Three Ancestors statues, the central musical fountain, the flag-raising platform, as well as comprehensive projects for paving, landscaping, lighting, and beautification.

At the southern entrance of the square stand two large stone lions in a reclining position, with a 40-ton yellow-striped granite stone in between. The bold calligraphy “Three Ancestors Cultural Square” was inscribed by the nationally renowned calligrapher Zhao Zhizhong and carved onto the base of the massive stone. The main area of the square is equipped with a large screen TV system used for national education campaigns, major events, and daily broadcasts of international and domestic news. The site also includes activity areas for basketball, tennis, and other sports. Walking and vehicle zones are paved with granite slabs of varying thicknesses, covering a total of 36,000 square meters. The green space is divided into four seasonal zones—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—totaling 66,000 square meters of planted area, featuring over 70 varieties of trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, marigolds, salvia, and more, totaling hundreds of thousands of plants. The lawn area covers 30,000 square meters.

Transportation Guide

Location: Xuanyuan West Road, Zhuolu County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province

Getting There: Visitors can take a taxi or walk west along Xuanyuan Road in Zhuolu County to reach the square.