Ruins of the Ancient Yuanxiang City

Ruins of Yuanxiang Ancient City

The Yuanxiang Ancient City Ruins is a cultural tourism attraction.

Yuanxiang Ancient City was the site of the ancient Changshan Commandery, located southwest of today’s Yin Village. City walls were constructed as early as the Warring States period, and the commandery was set up here in the early Western Han Dynasty. The current ruins of the city walls are uncertain to be from the Warring States or Qin and Han periods. Historically, this was the capital of a city that governed about twenty counties, including Yuanxiang, Luancheng, Gaoyi, Zhao County, and Zhengding. Its role has been timeless, with a long and storied history. The ancient city served as the seat of a state, commandery, and county from the Warring States to the Sui Dynasty. During the Jin Dynasty, the Changshan Commandery was moved to Zhengding (now north of Shijiazhuang). By the Sui Dynasty, the city was abandoned, and the county seat was relocated southward, hence the name “former city.”

The area of present-day Yuanxiang County has been inhabited since the Shang Dynasty, with early settlers thriving on this fertile land. It lies south of the ? River and north of Fenglong Mountain, contributing to the development of human civilization. In the early Zhou Dynasty, when slave-owning aristocrats enfeoffed feudal lords, the ? State (also said to be the ? State) and its fortress were built near Xizhang Village in today’s Huaishui River basin, along with Feilong Yi near the southern foot of Fenglong Mountain, in today’s Nanzuo and Fengzhao areas. In the 11th year of King Xiaocheng of Zhao during the Warring States period (255 BC), a prince of Zhao named “Yuan” was enfeoffed in this region. Prince Yuan, eldest son of King Huiwen of Zhao and elder brother of King Xiaocheng of Zhao, was named after the character “Yuan,” thus giving the place its name, “Yuanxiang.” A city wall was built at the foot of Fenglong Mountain and called “Yuan Yi,” located at the site of the present-day ancient ruins northwest of Yuanxiang. Hence, the name “Yuanxiang” for the county originated here.

In the third year of Emperor Gaozu of Han (204 BC), Emperor Gaozu established the Hengshan Commandery here, governing 18 counties including Yuanxiang and Luancheng, with its seat at the Yuanxiang Ancient City. In the first year of Emperor Wen of Han (179 BC), to avoid the naming taboo of Emperor Wen Liu Heng, the Hengshan Commandery was renamed Changshan Commandery, commonly referred to as “Changshan.” In 145 BC, Liu Shun, son of Emperor Jing of Han, was made the King of Changshan, elevating the commandery to the status of a kingdom. Its seat remained at the ancient city, but its jurisdiction expanded to 22 counties. In 114 BC, King Liu Shun of Changshan died, and his son Liu Bo succeeded him. Liu Bo soon fell out of favor with Emperor Wu of Han, who dispatched Zhang Qian to handle his case. Liu Bo was stripped of his kingdom and exiled to Fang County in Hubei. The Changshan Kingdom was reverted to a commandery. The following year (113 BC), another son of King Liu Shun, Liu Ping, was made the King of Zhengding, and the Changshan Commandery was renamed the Zhengding Kingdom, which was soon changed back to the Changshan Kingdom. In 4 AD, Wang Mang usurped the Han throne and renamed the Changshan Kingdom as Jingguan Ting. Though its seat remained at the ancient city, it was now a ting (lesser administrative unit). In 41 AD, Liu Fu, son of the Queen Mother of Zhongshan King, was made the King of Zhongshan and granted rule over the Changshan Commandery, which was thus incorporated into the Zhongshan Kingdom. That same year, the Confucian scholar Li Gong built a hut at the southern foot of Fenglong Mountain to teach students and petitioned the court regarding Empress Yin Lihua (later Empress Guanglie), who gave birth to Emperor Guangwu’s son Liu Zhuang (later Emperor Ming of Han) in Wannian Village. The court exempted Yuanxiang from land taxes and corvée labor for six years and appointed Liu Zhuang’s son Liu Yi as the King of Changshan, restoring the Changshan Kingdom. Liu Zhuang’s birthplace was renamed Wannian Village, the name still used today. In 111 AD, the court ordered renovations to various parts of the Changshan Kingdom. In 117 AD, the stone inscription “Sacrifice to the Three Dukes Mountain Stele” was erected west of the ancient city at the “Eight Temples Shrine.” It was not until the early Jin Dynasty in 265 AD that the seat of the Changshan Commandery was moved north from the Yuanxiang Ancient City to Zhengding. The ancient city then became the seat of Yuanxiang County. Between approximately 586–618 AD, during the early Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Yuanxiang County seat was also moved south to today’s Woniu City. During the relocation of the county seat, many touching legends were left behind (such as the Golden Ox Presenting a Map). During the Han Dynasty, the ancient city served alternately as the seat of a commandery and a kingdom, always located at the site of the present-day ancient city, for a total of 500 years. The city walls have withstood the Qin, Han, Jin, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, boasting a history of around 2000 years—truly ancient. The great Three Kingdoms general Zhao Yun, also known as Zhao Zilong, referred to himself as “Zhao Zilong of Changshan” on the Battle of Changban. This refers to someone from the jurisdiction of the Changshan Commandery. In recent years, due to Zhengding’s emphasis on promoting tourism resources and enhancing celebrity appeal, it has claimed Zhao Zilong as a native of Zhengding, building the Zhao Yun Temple and displaying items such as Zhao Yun’s horse trough and training stone lock. Meanwhile, the old Changshan Commandery of Yuanxiang has faded from public attention. This is inaccurate. It must be noted that during the Three Kingdoms period, the Changshan Commandery’s seat was still at the Yuanxiang Ancient City.

Historical records state that Cao Cao sent the general Zhang Liao to attack the remnants of Yuan Shao’s forces and seize the Changshan Commandery, while also pacifying rebel forces at Yijun Village (Yuanxiang). However, the Changshan Commandery was only moved to Zhengding in the second year of the Jingchu era (238 AD) during the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei (Cao Rui, grandson of Cao Cao), after the Three Kingdoms were unified under the Jin Dynasty. Although it retained the name Changshan Commandery, it was vastly different from the one during the Cao Wei period. Claiming Zhao Zilong belonged to the early Jin period rather than the Three Kingdoms era (Wei, Shu, and Wu) is simply illogical. It would make more sense to say Zhao Zilong was from the Changshan Commandery of the ancient city (at that time, Zhengding was under the Changshan Commandery’s jurisdiction), or that he was a native of Zhengding during the Changshan Commandery period. The Yuanxiang Ancient City was not breached until the second year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (619 AD) by Liu Heita, a subordinate of Dou Jiande. By then, the Yuanxiang County seat had already been moved to today’s Woniu City.

The ancient city walls of the Changshan Commandery at Yuanxiang Ancient City, though over 2000 years old, still have visible remnants. Although only broken walls remain, the once-majestic presence can still be glimpsed. The ancient city site is said to have been square-shaped, spanning 8.8 li (approximately 4.4 km) in circumference. The northern wall was located near the road between today’s Guicheng Village and Xiaoliu Village. Sections of the earthen walls on the eastern and southern sides still stand. Winding and intermittent, their former grandeur is faintly discernible. After prolonged weathering, the remaining eastern wall stands three meters high in some spots, the southern wall reaches up to six meters at its highest, and the southwestern section is about five meters high. The original walls were as wide as 23 meters, built with rammed earth layers, and the marks are still clearly visible. The sites of the eastern and southern gates can still be identified. The site is scattered with Han Dynasty artifacts such as pottery, roof tiles, pottery li tripods, and bean-neck tile fragments, mostly featuring rope patterns and combed designs. In 1976, Han Dynasty relics such as tiger-patterned bricks, “Changshan Changgui” tiles, and cloud-patterned tiles were also excavated.

Transportation Guide

Attraction Address: Gucheng Village, Yin Village Town, Yuanxiang County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province