Ancient Wells of Chenzhou City

Ancient Wells of Chenzhou City

The Ancient Wells of Chenzhou City are a cultural heritage site protected by Chenzhou City.

The Ancient Wells of Chenzhou City (including Haitang Well, Dragon Bone Well, Tangerine Well, Suxian Bridge Well, Zhangjia Well, Langantang Well, and Yanzhuan Well)

These are Tang Dynasty well ruins located on Wenhua Road, Beihu District, Chenzhou City. In 1985, six ancient wells were excavated here. All are circular vertical-shaft style wells with smooth walls, manually rammed, polished, and trimmed, without any materials used for reinforcement. The well openings have diameters ranging from 0.7 to 1.1 meters, with the deepest reaching 7.2 meters. Among them, three wells yielded 72 pieces of unearthed artifacts, mostly pottery items, including 21 pieces produced by the Changsha Kiln. The artifacts include practical vessels such as pots, bowls, inkstones, lamps, jars, and pots, as well as small clay figurines and tools. The pots feature the most distinctive characteristic of the Changsha Kiln—octagonal bodies with short spouts and wide, flat handles at the back. Two spouts and lugs are adorned with appliqué designs of trees, birds, and grape-brown spots, while one jar is decorated with cloud-like green glaze on the upper part of its body. This discovery of ancient wells along with Changsha Kiln porcelain is the first of its kind in the Chenzhou region. It holds certain value for studying the economic culture of southern Hunan during the Tang Dynasty and the development of the Lingnan post road.

Source: "Huxiang Culture Dictionary"

Further Reading:

· The Third Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Chenzhou City