Shang Dynasty Ruins at Qianxiguan

Shang Dynasty Ruins at Qianxiguan

The Shang Dynasty Ruins at Qianxiguan are a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

Qianxiguan Village is 30 kilometers from Gaocheng City, located at the northernmost part of our region. To the north, it faces Xinle City across the Mudao Gully, and to the east, it borders the territory of Wuji County, making it a junction of three counties. Its coordinates are 38°32' north latitude and 114°50' east longitude. The Shang Dynasty ruins are located 500 meters southwest of Qianxiguan Village, with a branch of the Zi River — commonly known as the Mudao Gully — about 1.5 kilometers to the north.

Originally, the site was a large, elevated earthen platform surrounded by gradually lower land. Locals called it "Dog Pagoda" and passed down a historical legend: before Liu Xiu, the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, rose to power, he took refuge in a cave on the mound. Suffering from hunger and cold, he was saved by a loyal dog that brought him food. Later, after Liu Xiu ascended the throne, he never forgot the dog's life-saving gesture and built a brick pagoda on the mound to honor the dog. However, upon investigation, the earthen platform has been leveled, no remnants of a brick pagoda have been found, nor is there any historical documentation to verify the story.

In 1975, Zhang Xitian, a villager from Qianxiguan, unearthed a set of bronze ware while leveling land in the western part of the site. The artifacts included a taotie-patterned bronze gu, a bronze jue, a loop-handle bronze hu, a round-footed straight-eared taotie-patterned bronze ding, a bronze ge, and a jade qi — a total of six relics. These were handed over to the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics through the county cultural center. Zhang Xitian recalled that human bones and various pottery items were also found at the time, leading to the speculation that it might have been the tomb of a slave owner.

In 1976, Tang Yunming, an archaeology expert from the provincial cultural research institute, investigated the site. At that time, the terrain was relatively high, with large areas of ash soil and surface artifacts such as rope-patterned pottery shards and li tripod feet discovered. It was subsequently designated as a Shang Dynasty site.

Later, our city’s cultural relics protection office conducted multiple investigations at the site. The landscape of the ruins had changed — the large earthen platform no longer existed, and the entire area had been converted into farmland. However, the central part remained higher, with natural slopes forming around it. The total area is approximately 12,000 square meters, with cultural layers varying in thickness from 30 to 50 centimeters. Abundant surface remains were found, including pottery shards scattered everywhere. On July 23, 1982, it was announced by the People’s Government of Hebei Province as a key cultural relic protection unit.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units