Tangya Tusi City Site

Tangya Tusi City Site

Tangya Tusi City Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tangya Tusi City Site is located in Jianshan Township (now Tangya Town), Xianfeng County, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province. Backed by Xuanwu Mountain and facing the Tangya River, its main relics date from the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty (17th–18th century), covering an area of about 80 hectares. It served as the administrative center of the Tujia Tangya Qin clan Tusi.

The Tusi city ruins include the city site, tombs, and peripheral facilities. The city site is the main part of the ruins, located in the relatively flat area near the river in the eastern section. The western forested area of the city site and its surroundings contain tombs and other peripheral structures.

The relics at Tangya Tusi City Site include various types such as defensive structures (city walls, gates), transportation facilities (roads, bridges, docks), architectural ruins, tombs, gardens, and handicraft sites (quarries). Artifacts unearthed mainly consist of porcelain, seals, and brick-and-stone architectural components, predominantly blue-and-white porcelain fragments and stone building parts. Archaeological dating focuses on the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, with many inscribed years that align with historical records of Lady Tian’s concentrated city construction during the Tianqi and Chongzhen eras (1622–1644). The well-preserved, orderly road and courtyard systems within the city indicate a centralized, one-time planning and construction effort.

Tangya Tusi City is a typical example of the Tusi system and a precious cultural relic showcasing the cultural exchange and integration between the Tujia and Han peoples.

In 2006, it was designated as part of the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

In July 2015, it was successfully inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Bonn, Germany.

II. Main Relics

(1) City Walls

The east, north, and most of the south sides of Tangya Tusi City were fortified with outer city walls, while inner walls were constructed on the north and northeast sides. The walls were built from roughly processed natural stones and are mostly still visible, standing over 1 meter in height. The riverside section is the best preserved, reaching up to 2.5 meters in height, with a base width of 3.2 meters.

At the east gate, the original gate tower foundation is significantly wider than the wall itself, with remaining widths of about 6 to 7 meters, clearly indicating the base of the gate tower. The remaining east wall stretches 150 meters.

(2) Streets and Alleys

The streets and alleys within the city site remain clearly visible. They consist of three main streets, eighteen alleys, and thirty-six courtyards, divided into upper, middle, and lower streets, forming an irregular shape with a total length of 880 meters. The central street, centered around a stone memorial archway, is paved entirely with bluestone slabs, each 2 meters long and 0.3 meters wide, laid horizontally along the street, creating a broad and neat surface. The upper street extends downward from the Grand Government Office, while the lower street leads upward from the Minor Government Office. The 36 alleys are also paved with stones, connecting to the streets along the terrain and providing access in all directions. Among them, “First Horizontal Lane,” “Second Horizontal Lane,” and “Third Horizontal Lane” run parallel between the upper street and the southern wall.

(3) Stone Memorial Archway

The “Jingnan Xiong Zhen” (Mighty Fortress of Southern Jing) Archway was built in the fourth year of the Tianqi era (1624) by the Ming court to honor the military achievements of Tusi Qin Ding. It is the most iconic architectural relic at the Tangya Tusi City Site and marks the beginning of the government office complex. It is connected vertically to a central gate via stone steps. The archway is built from sandstone in a wood-like style, standing 7.15 meters tall and 8.4 meters wide, with three bays and four stone pillars. Each pillar is flanked by 2.5-meter-high drum stones and stone lions (one lion remains). The horizontal beams bear the inscriptions “Mighty Fortress of Southern Jing” and “Shield of Chu and Shu” on their front and back. Inscriptions record the reasons and date of the archway’s construction. The central panels depict scenes such as “Tusi on Parade” and “Nezha’s Sea Trouble,” while the side panels feature motifs like “Fisherman, Woodcutter, Farmer, Scholar,” “Children Under the Locust Tree,” and mythical creatures like qilin, dragons, and phoenixes. While many themes are adapted from Han Chinese art, others directly reflect Tusi life, such as “Tusi on Parade,” making this a product of Han-Tujia artistic fusion.

(4) Zhangwang Temple

The Zhangwang Temple ruins are located on an artificially built platform in the northeastern outskirts of Tangya Tusi City Site. Named after the main deity, the Three Kingdoms general Zhang Fei, the temple consists of three courtyards: the front mountain gate, the middle horse hall, and the rear worship hall. The stone walls remain, but the temple buildings have not been excavated. Scattered architectural components are found, along with a pair of stone horses and riders poised as if ready to gallop, guarded by two stone figures in warrior attire holding reins. The horses, carved from solid sandstone, are majestic and lifelike. The left horse stands 2.38 meters tall, with a back width of 0.7 meters and length of 2.8 meters. Its saddle, stirrups, reins, and bridle are intricately carved. The bridle bears an inscription: “On the fourth day of the summer month in the year Xinhai of the Wanli era (1611), Lady Tian, wife of the official Yin, restored this.” The right horse is 2.08 meters tall and 2.8 meters long, with a bridle inscribed: “On the twenty-fourth day of the summer month in the year Xinhai of the Wanli era, Chieftain Qin Jie and his son Qin Wenzhong restored this.” The stone riders are 1.9 meters tall, clad in armor, with swords and umbrellas, standing before the horses. One horse rider’s head is missing, with a remaining height of 1.6 meters. The horses, resembling southern breeds, are stout rather than tall, spaced 4.8 meters apart.

(5) Tusi Tombs

On the high slope in the northeastern corner of the city site lie two parallel Ming Dynasty tombs: the Tusi King’s Tomb and Lady Tian’s Tomb, covering a total area of 400 square meters. The Tusi King’s Tomb has a well-preserved earthen mound and a grand, ornate stone chamber. The coffin chamber is built from chiseled sandstone. The front resembles a double-eaved wooden structure with a single dougong (bracket set) and three-tiered roof, measuring 7 meters in length. The roof is adorned with tubular tiles, and the ridges feature dragon head decorations. The bracket sets under the eaves are distinct, with five pillars forming four tomb chambers. The square pillars are 0.45 meters wide and 0.6 meters thick, spaced 1 to 1.1 meters apart. The corridor spacing is 1.85 meters, with a height of 2 meters. The corridor ceiling features carved circular caisson designs. Further inside are four tomb chambers, each with eight stone doors. The doors are 1.65 meters tall, 0.1 meters thick, and about 0.67 meters wide, adorned with lattice patterns. The chambers are made from whole sandstone blocks, measuring 3 meters long, 1.5 meters high, with central chambers 1.3 meters wide and side chambers 1.25 meters wide. Each has a stone coffin bed, 2.7 meters long and 0.9 meters wide. Behind the beds are niches, 0.5 meters above the coffin beds, measuring 0.5 meters in height, 0.4 meters in width, and 0.15 meters in depth. The chambers are separated by 0.15-meter-thick stone slabs, each with small lattice windows (0.58 meters wide, 0.9 meters high) featuring coin-patterned holes for viewing. The ceiling is carved with floral caisson patterns. A V-shaped altar stands in front of the tomb, with small stone beasts at the front and exquisitely carved qilin on both sides, about 1 meter tall. The entire royal tomb is meticulously constructed from stone, representing a masterpiece of Tusi culture and showcasing the stone carving craftsmanship of the period.

Lady Tian’s Tomb is located to the left of the Tusi tomb, with its earthen mound well-preserved. A stone stele and memorial archway stand in front. The stele is 0.97 meters wide, 1.9 meters tall, with a 0.45-meter-high base featuring table patterns. The central inscription reads: “Tomb of the Exemplary Late Mother, Martial General’s Lady Tian, Honored as Qin.” The front inscription reads: “Recorded by her filial son, Official Yin Zongyao.” The back is dated: “Erected on a fortunate morning in the summer month of the gengwu year of the Chongzhen era (1630).” A simpler, undecorated stone archway stands nearby, 3.5 meters tall with side heights of 2.5 meters, a central gate 2.05 meters wide, and side gates 1.4 meters wide. The archway is flanked by drum-shaped stone pillars, connected by mortise joints.

Further up lies the tomb of Martial General Qin Ding. Nearby are five similarly styled and ranked general tombs from the same period, most without inscriptions. The dense forests of Xuanwu Mountain behind the city site contain various other tomb clusters, confirming this area as the Qin clan family cemetery.

(6) Cultural Artifacts

Cultural artifacts found at the Tusi city site mainly include goldware, porcelain, seals, and brick-and-stone architectural components, predominantly blue-and-white porcelain fragments and stone building parts.

The first category is porcelain fragments, unearthed in the street and government office areas, spanning the Ming Dynasty to the Republican era (with Ming Dynasty reign marks such as Chenghua, Xuande, Wanli, and Jingdezhen imprints). The government office area fragments are of higher quality.

The second category is brick and tile architectural components, found in the government office area, including Han-style drip tiles, eave tiles, and tubular tiles, adorned with lotus and fish-scale patterns.

The third category is Tusi seals, including two Tusi seals and one military officer seal from Sichuan’s Yongning region. All are bronze; the Tusi seals come in large and small versions, both inscribed with “Tangya Tusi Seal.” The larger weighs 1,100 grams and lacks a date. The smaller weighs 650 grams and is inscribed as being made in 1674, when the Tangya Tusi aligned with Wu Sangui’s regime opposing the Qing court. Another seal is from the Yongning region, obtained by the Tusi for aiding the court in suppressing rebellion. Additionally, a “Tangya Tusi Qin Guan Ke Seal” was unearthed in Huolongping Town within the Tusi jurisdiction.

Address: Xianfeng County, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visit Duration: About 1 hour

Opening Hours: Open all day

Source: Hubei Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Tangya Town: Tangya Town is located in the central-western part of Xianfeng County on the southwestern border of Hubei Province. The town center sits along the Tangya River and serves as the political, economic, and cultural hub of Tangya Town. It is 28 kilometers from the county seat. To the east, it borders Gaolianshan Town and Qingping Town of Xianfeng County; to the south, it neighbors Chaoyangsi Town; to the north and northwest, it is close to Xiaocun Town and Huolongping Town; to the southwest, it reaches the Daluba District and Zhongtang Town of Qianjiang District, Chongqing. The area lies between 108°41′36"—108°48′06" east longitude and 29°24′24"—29°38′54" north latitude, spanning 30 kilometers from east to west and 28 kilometers from north to south. ... More detailed information about Tangya Town++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Hubei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units