Wanquan Wei City

Wanquan Wei City

Wanquan Wei City is a cultural heritage site protected by Hebei Province.

Wanquan Wei City is located in Wanquan Town, Wanquan County. The city of Wanquan is an ancient military fortress — its age is notable because it is about 10 years older than Beijing’s Forbidden City — having reached the ripe old age of 616. It has withstood the border wars of the Ming Dynasty and the trade between the Mongols and Han Chinese, the administrative shift from Wei to county in the Qing Dynasty and ethnic integration, as well as the societal changes and unrest of the Republican period. It is an ancient city rich in deep historical roots and profound cultural heritage.

In January 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor in Yingtian Prefecture, establishing the Great Ming. That August, General Xu Da led 250,000 troops to capture Dadu (now Beijing), declaring the fall of the Yuan Dynasty. Although the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty retreated to the northern grasslands, they still controlled vast areas north of the Ming Great Wall and maintained strong military power. Unwilling to accept defeat, they sought to make a comeback. The Ming Dynasty adopted two strategies: first, to persuade Mongol tribal leaders to surrender and submit; second, to construct the Great Wall and bolster defenses. In 1393 (the 26th year of the Hongwu reign), the court established Left and Right Weis at Xuanfu, a major military stronghold (now Xuanhua). The Right Wei was tasked with guarding the northern gateway to the North China Plain — the Yehuling Pass (at the border of Wanquan and Zhangbei), while the Wei city was situated at Deshengkou Fort (a village established during the Western Han Dynasty, named Deshengkou Fort because it was just 1.5 li from Deshengkou, now Wanquan City). Construction of the city began in 1402 (the 4th year of the Jianwen reign), mobilizing tens of thousands of soldiers and laborers. Over three years, a grand and sturdy fortress was completed. From then on, Wanquan Wei City played a vital role in the Ming Dynasty’s frontier military campaigns.

Legend has it that when deciding the location for Wanquan Wei City, civil and military officials unanimously agreed that building the fortress at Deshengkou, below the dam, was the “perfect strategy” — “backed by the long wall, facing the Yang River, with the peril of Juyong to the left and the solidity of Yunzhong to the right.” This is the origin of the name “Wanquan” (meaning “perfectly safe”) Wei City.

The ancient city of Wanquan faces south and is square-shaped. The city walls are 880.4 meters long from east to west, 880.7 meters from north to south, with a total perimeter of 3,522.2 meters and a height of 12 meters. The base of the walls is 4.5 zhang (approximately 15 meters) wide, and the top is 1.7 zhang (approximately 5.6 meters) wide. The ramparts are paved with blue bricks to prevent rainwater seepage. The fortress has only southern and northern gates, with two wing cities on the east and west sides that have no gates, resembling the side windows of a sedan chair. Outside the city are two naturally formed moats, resembling the shafts of a sedan chair. At the center of the fortress stands the Jade Emperor Pavilion, which is higher than the city walls, resembling the roof of a sedan chair. Whether viewed from afar or up close, the structure is both spectacular and exquisitely designed.

The city walls are a product of military conflict, so all auxiliary structures on the walls embody the concept of serving warfare. The city gates, barbicans, gate towns, watchtowers, and corner towers form a comprehensive offensive and defensive system from various angles, especially the city gates, which are built to be extremely solid. The southern gate is called “Ying’en Gate” (Gate of Welcoming Grace), considered an auspicious gate for welcoming officials, weddings, and paying homage to the gods; the northern gate is called “Deshe Gate” (Gate of Virtuous Victory), regarded as an inauspicious gate used for the City God’s outings, funerals, tomb sweeping, and executions. Outside the southern and northern gates are two barbicans, each with an eastern gate. Further outside the barbicans are two gate towns, separating the southern and northern gates. This design of “city within a city” and “gate within a gate” is highly scientific, significantly enhancing the fortress’s defensive capabilities. The three-tiered gate system and winding pathways prevent enemies from launching a straightforward assault, while defenders on the walls can form a crossfire network from all directions, delivering fatal blows to the attackers. There are two watchtowers on the walls. Research indicates that these tall towers could be used for high vantage points during peacetime, served as quarters for the garrison, and stored weapons such as fireworks and stones. During battle, they became command posts for the commanding officers and firing positions for the defenders.

Wanquan Town: Located in the northeast of Wanquan District, Wanquan Town lies within a shallow low mountain and hilly area. It is 10 kilometers east of downtown Zhangjiakou, 10 kilometers south of Kongjiazhuang County Town, and 10 kilometers north of Bashang Grassland. The town enjoys superior transportation conditions and a prominent regional advantage. It governs 14 administrative villages (9 villages and 5 streets), with a total of 6,135 households and a population of 14,955, including 13,760 agricultural residents, and an average per capita income of 7,814 yuan. The total land area covers 71.26 square kilometers, including 28,640 mu of arable land. The main crops include corn, millet, beans, tubers, sunflowers, and more... More detailed information about Wanquan Town ++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Hebei Province