Shile Fort Ruins

Shile Fort Ruins

Shile Fort Ruins is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shanxi Province.

Shile Fort Ruins (Ancient Ruins Category) (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Later Zhao (Eastern Jin)

Address: On the northern Yuan Mountain, Guxian Village, Guxian Township, Wuxiang County, Changzhi City

The ruins are located on the northern Yuan Mountain of Guxian Village and were built along the natural terrain, distributed in a terraced pattern. Guxian Village was the former county seat of Wuxiang County. In 1938, it was burned down by the Japanese invaders during the Second Sino-Japanese War. In 1947, the county seat of Wuxiang was moved from Guxian to Duan Village.

Shile City: Also known as “Shile Fort” or “Former Capital of the Later Zhao.” According to the 1690 edition of the Wuxiang County Annals, Shile Fort was built in the sixth year of Yongjia during the Western Jin Dynasty. Shi Le, the king of the Later Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, once stationed his troops here. Over the past few decades, the city site has been severely damaged. Although the city walls have collapsed, the overall ruins remain, with some sections of the city walls still intact. Existing structures include the city gate (Longmen Gate), city walls, and the foundations of large rammed-earth buildings. The city gate (Longmen Gate) faces south and shows clear traces of rammed earth, which contains mixed pottery fragments and other debris. The layers of rammed earth are 7–10 cm thick. The city walls are divided into several segments, mostly constructed with stone facings around a rammed-earth core. Some sections are well-preserved, reaching up to about 6 meters in height above ground level, with visible cross-sections revealing brick-and-stone structures. There is another gate located on the southern wall of the Guxian Village grain station, constructed with stone slabs, though its age is unknown.

The site has relatively rich cultural remains, including the collection of large architectural components such as roof tiles and tube tiles.

Built along the mountain terrain, Shile Fort Ruins exhibit distinct rammed-earth construction features and yield abundant cultural relics, including a large number of architectural components. Existing features include the city gate, city walls, and foundations of large rammed-earth buildings. The surrounding area is also well-preserved. Historical records indicate that it was a military encampment of Shi Le, the emperor of the Later Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, giving it significant historical value.

Information source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Shi Le (274 – August 17, 333), courtesy name Shilong, was a native of Wuxiang County, Shangdang Commandery (within the territory of Yushe County, Shanxi), of the Jie ethnicity. He was the founder of the Later Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period and an outstanding statesman, military strategist, and commander.

The name Shi Le was given to him later by Ji Sang. His ancestors were descendants of the Qiangqu tribe, a branch of the Xiongnu. His grandfather was named Yeyiyu, and his father, Zhou Hezhu, also known as Qiyijia, both served as tribal chieftains. After Shi Le was born, the Western Jin Dynasty briefly unified China, but soon descended into the chaos of the War of the Eight Princes.

At the age of fourteen, Shi Le... More detailed information about Shi Le ++

Guxian Village: Overview of Guxian Village

Guxian Village, located in the eastern part of Wuxiang County, is the seat of the township government. The village covers a total area of 3.8 square kilometers, with 1,082 mu of arable land. It consists of three natural villages and has a population of 986. Guxian Village lies to the west of the Taihang Longhu Scenic Area, to the east of the Nanshen Mountain landscape, to the north of the Shile Emperor’s ruins, and to the south of the Nantingchuan ancient battlefield. It was once the site of the Wuxiang County seat, serving in that role for 1,456 years from the 16th year of the Taihe era of the Northern Wei Dynasty until 1947, and is known by the nickname “Phoenix City.”

In recent years, the Party branch and village committee of Guxian Village... More detailed information about Guxian Village ++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units