Huazidong Site

Huazidong Site

The Huazidong Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Paleolithic Age

The Huazidong Site is located on a second-level terrace about 6.5 meters above the water surface on the east bank of the Puh River in Dangba Town, Pingquan County, Chengde City. It was discovered in the spring of 2000. The upper part of the cave entrance features an overhanging rock about 3 meters wide, forming a rock shelter. The interior of the cave has now collapsed and is inaccessible. In May 2013, it was designated as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

In 2000, archaeological excavations were carried out at the Huazidong Site in Dangba Town. The stratigraphic deposits are about 4 meters thick and can be divided into 11 cultural layers. Among them, the 7th layer is particularly significant. This layer consists of alternating layers of ash and soil, showing clear stratification, with the thickest part reaching 0.88 meters. Each individual layer is about 2 to 4 centimeters thick. Some soil layers show slight localized surfaces of vitrification, suggesting that this may have been a site of artificial fire use. Artifacts unearthed include stone tools, bone implements, and animal bones. The stone tools are mainly microliths, crafted primarily from flint. The microblade cores are mostly represented by small boat-shaped types, and there is a large quantity of microblades. The types of stone tools are relatively uniform, predominantly various types of scrapers. Ordinary stone flakes also make up a significant proportion. Bone implements include bone awls, bone needles, and double-sided perforated bone bead ornaments. Animal bones come from various species including birds, mammals, rodents, and fish. Based on the unearthed artifacts and stratigraphic conditions, the Huazidong Site is a typical late Paleolithic remnant. The microliths found at the site reflect another characteristic of Paleolithic culture north of the Great Wall. The large number of microblade cores, microblades, stone fragments, and tools unearthed suggest that this site may have once served as a stone tool processing workshop.

The discovery of the Huazidong Site is another important Paleolithic-era find in the Chengde region, following the Sifangdong Site.

Dangba Town: Located in the southern part of Pingquan County, Dangba Town is 33 kilometers from the county seat. Transportation hubs such as the Ping-Tie Highway and Zun-Xiao Railway have been successively constructed and run through the area, while the Cheng-Chao Expressway is just a 15-minute drive from Dangba. The town covers a total area of 224.3 square kilometers, governing 2 communities, 14 administrative villages, 229 resident groups, with 7,401 farming households and a population of 26,008. In recent years, relying on its abundant natural resources and transportation advantages, and taking the comprehensive poverty alleviation campaign as an opportunity, the town has continuously strengthened work style rectification and optimized the development environment. It is fully implementing strategies such as “Agriculture-based Town Development, Industry-strengthened Town Development, and Open...” More details about Dangba Town++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units