The Ancient Xiangcheng Post Wengcheng (Barbican)

The Ancient Xiangcheng Post Wengcheng

The wengcheng (barbican) was an important pass and post station on the ancient routes to Jingzhou-Xiangyang and Shaanxi-Luoyang. It earned the name "wengcheng" (literally "jar city") because of its semicircular shape, which resembles a jar. The wengcheng is 58 meters long from north to south, has an east-west radius of 32 meters, and a perimeter of 150 meters. Its foundation is built with red stones and its walls are covered with blue bricks. There is one gate each on the eastern and southern sides of the wengcheng, creating the remarkable sight of a wall outside a wall and a gate beyond a gate. The eastern gate was originally the western gate, with a plaque inscribed with: “Overlooking Songshan, Blocking Shaanxi and Sichuan to the West.” It served as one of the passes leading to the Chu Great Wall. The wengcheng was first built during the Spring and Autumn Period, took shape in the Han Dynasty, and is connected on both sides to an ancient city wall stretching 2,297 meters in length. As a result, on July 1, 1997, during the celebration of Hong Kong’s handover, the Xiangcheng Wengcheng was selected to be featured on the “Famous Passes of the Great Wall Commemorative Envelope” designed and produced by the former State Post Bureau.