The Ancient Post Road of Jingxing

The Ancient Post Road of Jingxing

The Ancient Post Road of Jingxing is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Heading southeast out of Tianchang Town, there is a small mountain, and at its foot winds a rugged mountain path. Such an ordinary, bumpy mountain road actually has a history of over two thousand years. This is the famous Qinhuang Ancient Post Road within the territory of Jingxing.

Compared to the well-known ancient post road around Dongtianmen, the ruts from ancient carts are not visible on this section—only clear traces of rainwater erosion remain. Wu Tongting said that although this mountain path may seem simple, just look at its surroundings: narrow paths flanked by steep stone cliffs. It’s a road carved out of the mountains, and one can only imagine how difficult it must have been to build in those ancient times—a stark contrast to the Dongtianmen section.

The Qinhuang Post Road is a historic transportation route of great importance. It stretches westward to —, and northward to the capital. Tianchang is located at the strategic throat of this road, controlling the vital passageway between Shanxi and Hebei, and has long been known as the “Thoroughfare of Yan and Jin.” The Tianchang section of the ancient road is 20 kilometers long, and remnants of ancient shops and post stations can still be found in places such as Chengguan, Hedong, Sanjiadian, Banqiao, and Hetaoyuan.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units of Hebei Province

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units