Remains of the Ancient City of Tangchaodun

Remains of the Ancient City of Tangchaodun

The ancient city of Tangchaodun is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Remains of the Ancient City of Tangchaodun

The ancient city is situated in the northeastern corner of Qitai County, closely integrated with the urban area. It faces the Shuimo River to the east, connects with residential areas to the southwest, and borders a vegetable field (a vegetable production base) to the north. The city stretches 315 meters from east to west and 490 meters from north to south, forming a rectangular fortress with gates and battlements on all sides. A beacon tower stands on the northern wall. Currently, only the remnants of the northern wall remain. Before liberation, people often found utensils from the Tang Dynasty at the site. After liberation, the local cultural relics management office successively collected items such as red pottery wide-mouth flat-bottomed basins, gray pottery flat-bottomed three-eared large bottles, gray pottery single-eared jars, fragments of Song Dynasty celadon ware, Yuan Dynasty twin-fish mirrors, and Yuan Dynasty Chagatai silver coins… The name of Qitai County—“Gucheng” (Ancient City)—stems from this site. In 1962, it was designated as an Autonomous Region-level Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the People’s Government of the Autonomous Region.

The ancient city of Tangchaodun has a long history. According to historical records, it was one of the four counties under the jurisdiction of the Beiting Protectorate during the Tang Dynasty—the Pulei County. It was established in the 14th year of the Zhenguan era (640 AD), and the county was officially set up in the 2nd year of the Chang’an era (702 AD). It served as a strategic stronghold on the eastern route of the Beiting Protectorate and a key passage along the Northern Silk Road, as well as part of the international route from Chang’an to Suyab. During the Yuan Dynasty, it came under the administration of the Beshbalik Marshal’s Office and was one of its five subordinate cities. In the 15th year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1417 AD), when the Mongols migrated to Ili, both Pulei City and Beshbalik were abandoned. In the 24th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1759 AD), as Qing troops advanced westward, it became a key military garrison site on the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains. Modern people named it “Tangchaodun” (Tang Dynasty Mound) due to its tall Tang-era walls that resemble a mound when viewed from afar.

According to elders’ recollections, the city remained relatively intact in the late Qing Dynasty, visible for miles around. People used it as a prominent landmark for orientation. After liberation, a nitrate factory was built here, and soil from the ancient city was scraped to produce nitrate, which stripped away the original appearance of the ancient site. During the 1960s and 1970s, people’s communes dug up soil within the city for fertilizer, causing further damage to the ancient ruins.

Currently, from the northeastern corner, the majestic presence of the ancient fortress can still be faintly discerned. Its northern wall stands 8 meters high and 4 meters thick, with visible rammed-earth layers. In 2007, a row of trees was planted along the western side as a buffer zone, and the outline of the eastern gate remains.

After liberation, the county’s cultural relics management office implemented various protective measures. However, because the ancient city is tightly integrated with the urban area and surrounded by residential neighborhoods, ongoing encroachment by residents created an irreconcilable conflict between heritage preservation and urban development. Coupled with insufficient funding for protection, conservation efforts have been inadequate. As a result, this millennium-old city has not been able to realize its full potential. With the advancement of cultural initiatives, people have come to recognize the profound significance of protecting ancient sites. The cultural relics management office has proposed several measures for its development and utilization.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units