Ruins of the Ancient Wutuxu City

Ruins of the Ancient Wutuxu City

The Ruins of the Ancient Wutuxu City is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shanxi Province.

Ruins of the Ancient Wutuxu City

Ruins of the Ancient Wutuxu City (Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Northern Qi Dynasty

Location: Hilly area between Haoyuta Village and Nanzhuang Village, Baiwen Town, Lin County

The ruins were constructed along the undulating mountain ridges, extending from the bottom of the gully to the top along the cliff edge using compacted earth. The site sits high among mountains and near water, with significant elevation differences. It was an important ancient military facility used for stationing troops and horses. According to the county annals from the sixth year of the Republic of China (1917): “In the third year of Yuanshuo during Emperor Wu of Han’s reign (126 BC), it was established as Linshui County. In the third year of Tianbao during the Northern Qi Dynasty (552 AD), ‘Wutuxu’ was set up.” Wutuxu was one of the thirty-six military outposts established along a stretch of over 400 li from Huanglu Ridge of the Great Wall in the south to Sheyu Outpost in the north.

The site was built up from the bottom of the gully to the top with compacted earth, with a vertical height of approximately 20–60 meters, and the top reinforced with additional rammed earth walls. It consists of three parts: the inner city, the outer city, and outer defensive structures, forming an irregular trapezoid shape constructed using the flat ramming method with plain earth. The inner city has a perimeter of 2,880 meters, while the outer city spans 4,980 meters. Inside the city, there are mainly four natural gullies, with circular rammed earth structures built along the cliff faces on both sides of the gullies. Many foundation remains are preserved, varying in size, height, and overlapping in layers, extending all the way to the gully mouths and riverbanks.

On the exterior side of the city walls to the east, south, and north, the cliffs are steep and gullies crisscrossed. In addition to the solid and towering ridge walls built from rammed earth, these areas also form a natural barrier together with the adjacent high mountains and ridges, creating a strategic passageway for north-south travel. To the south of the outer city wall and on the eastern top of the inner city lies the burial area.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites in Shanxi Province