The Tawendalih Site

The Tawendalih Site

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

The Tawendalih Site: Located about 10 kilometers southwest of Balong Township, Dulan County, Qinghai Province, Tawendalih (a Mongolian place name meaning "five hilltops") has preserved remarkably intact remains due to the extremely low rainfall in the area—so scarce that it may not rain for years. The site spans an area of approximately 200,000 square meters. The ruins are enclosed by four large hills and three small sand dunes forming a circle, with a central square paved in loess, measuring about 250 meters in length and 150 meters in width. No relics or artifacts have been found on the square, making this unique layout the first of its kind discovered in China and indicating it was likely a major site for religious activities. Unlike other sites where cultural layers are buried underground, the cultural strata here are directly deposited on the ground surface, which is quite distinctive. The mound-shaped site has an irregular plan, featuring wooden pillars made of pine, with remnants of mortise-and-tenon structured buildings and adobe wall constructions atop them. The discovered house foundations come in two shapes: square and circular. Surrounding these houses are large enclosures built from adobe, inside of which large amounts of sheep dung have accumulated. A wealth of artifacts have been unearthed at the site, including silk and wool textiles, bronze ware, and more. Notably, some of the ropes found were tied with either slipknots or fixed knots, and some even had multiple consecutive knots, possibly reflecting an ancient method of knot-based record-keeping.

The site has a long duration of use, with its earliest phase dating back to the Western Zhou Dynasty and its latest possibly extending to the Warring States, Qin, or Han Dynasties. Based on relevant historical records, it may have been created by a branch of the ancient Qiang people. The site holds significant importance for studying the historical evolution of China’s ethnic groups, as well as the development of ancient civilization and climate change in the Qaidam Basin. On June 25, 2001, it was designated as part of the fifth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units