Zhangjiachang City Site

Zhangjiachang City Site

The Zhangjiachang City Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Zhangjiachang City Site is located 16 kilometers northwest of Yanchi County in Wuzhong City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, west of Zhangjichang Village. It was the site of Xuyan County during the Western Han Dynasty.

The city site has a rectangular layout, stretching 1,200 meters from east to west and 800 meters from north to south, covering an area of 0.96 square kilometers. The city walls were built with rammed yellow earth, with a base width of about 8 meters and surviving heights of 1 to 3 meters. The eastern and western walls had gates facing east, and there used to be a well east of the eastern gate, which was destroyed long ago. The site is now farmland, but the growth of crops suggests that there were once east-west streets.

A large number of pottery fragments are scattered across the ancient city ground, including large roof tiles, tubular tiles, scroll-patterned tile ends, hollow bricks, and other Han Dynasty building materials. Artifacts unearthed also include flat-bottomed pottery flasks with nomadic-style designs, ancient coins from the Western Han and Xin Mang periods such as “wu zhu,” “huo bu,” “huo quan,” “da quan wu shi,” “xiao quan zhi yi,” “da bu huang qian,” and “yi dao ping wu qian,” as well as nearly one ton of relics like bronze seals, bronze mirrors, arrowheads, and cover bow caps. The herringbone-patterned bronze gear reflects the craftsmanship of the time.

Around the ancient city site, an Han Dynasty tomb cluster covering approximately 10 square kilometers has been identified. Eight tombs have been excavated so far, including brick-chambered, stone-chambered, adobe, and earthen cave tombs. All feature a rectangular sloping tomb passage and a semi-circular arched single chamber. Burial objects include pottery stoves, pots, Bo Mountain incense burners, axes, and steamers. These findings indicate that this city was a highly prosperous town during the Qin and Han Dynasties.

In May 2006, the Zhangjiachang City Site, as an ancient Han Dynasty site, was approved by the State Council to be included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units