Dahe Ancient City

Dahe Ancient City

Dahe Ancient City is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Dahe Ancient City is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. It is located southeast of Dongtouqu Village, Dahe Township, Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County, Xinjiang, approximately 15.5 kilometers south of the county seat. Situated on a gently sloping plain with abundant water sources and fertile land, it is highly suitable for agriculture. The city was built by the Yiwu Army stationed here during the Jinglong era of the Tang Dynasty. It is currently one of the larger and better-preserved Tang Dynasty ruins in the Hami region. Geographic coordinates: 93°10′54″ east longitude, 43°39′40″ north latitude. Elevation: 1,644 meters. The site is square-shaped, consisting of a main city and an auxiliary city.

A relatively rich array of cultural relics has been unearthed within the city, mainly including pottery, stone tools, construction materials, and a small number of coins. The pottery is predominantly gray clay pottery, with fewer black and red pottery pieces, most of which were wheel-made. Decorative patterns include wave patterns, string patterns, stamped patterns, and impressed patterns. Common vessel types include jars, basins, and urns. The stone tools are all large grinding slab-like objects, either saddle-shaped or round. Construction materials include lotus-patterned roof tiles and lotus-patterned floor bricks. In addition, there are also bronze mirrors, bronze Buddha statues, iron scissors, and Tang Dynasty Kaiyuan Tongbao coins.

In 1957, it was listed as a Cultural Relics Protection Unit of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In 2001, it was included in the fifth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units announced by the State Council. In 2006, with funding support from the National Development and Reform Commission, a protection facilities project was implemented, which mainly included a 3,000-meter protective fence around the ruins, the construction of a guardhouse, and 1,000 meters of display facilities.

Historical Records

Historical records state that after the Tang Dynasty quelled the rebellion in Gaochang, it strengthened its rule over the Western Regions, establishing the Western Prefecture and the Beiting Protectorate. It also implemented the military farming system here, similar to that of the Han Dynasty. According to Volume Seven of the "Tang Liudian," the Tang Dynasty's military farms in the Western Regions included twenty in the Anxi Protectorate, seven in Shule, seven in Yanqi, twenty in the Beiting Protectorate, one in the Yiwu Army, and one in the Tianshan Army, totaling fifty-six farms. Each farm covered fifty hectares. The "Old Book of Tang · Treatise on Geography" records: "The Yiwu Army is located three hundred li northwest of Yizhou (Hami) in Ganlu River Valley, with three thousand soldiers, five thousand mu of land, and three hundred horses." The Yiwu Army combined military and agricultural roles, sustaining itself through farming, which reduced national financial expenditure, avoided the logistical challenges of long-distance supply transport, increased provisions, and improved the soldiers' self-sufficiency—an excellent strategy. More importantly, it guarded the critical east-west passage of the Silk Road, demonstrating the army’s firm stance of permanent stationing and leaving no chance for invaders.

On other military routes far from the city, the Tang army also built numerous beacon towers. Cities and beacon towers stood in sight of each other, allowing constant observation and reporting of military intelligence to command headquarters. Soldiers stationed at the beacon towers also cultivated land around their posts. With cities and beacon towers overlooking each other, the Yiwu Army, the Hanhai Army stationed in Gaochang, and the Tianshan Army stationed in Beiting formed a strategic triangle, stabilizing the Tang Dynasty’s position north of the Tianshan Mountains. During this time, the famous poet Luo Binwang, one of the “Four Eminent Poets of Early Tang,” came to the Yiwu Army base while serving in the military. Witnessing the harsh farming life and the soldiers’ heroic spirit in defending the frontier, he composed the poem "Stopping at Pulei Ford in the Evening": “Gazing back toward the Two Courts, hope fades away; A traveler’s heart aches ten thousand li away. Mountain paths still reach southward, While river sources flow north all day. Evening winds blend with northern chill, A new moon lights the border’s autumn skill. Stove fires shine through soldiers’ walls, Beacon smoke ascends watchtower calls. At Dragon Court, only hard fights remain, But those with heroic chins will gain fame again. Don’t end up below Lan Mountain’s face, Letting Han’s honor meet disgrace.” A crescent moon hung cold and bright, as northern chill bit through soldiers’ armor tight. The glow of cooking fires painted tents and faces red, bringing warmth to those who toiled and bread. After a hearty hot meal, they should have curled into warm beds to rest and shed the day’s heavy load. But then, distant beacons flared, and urgent clanging gongs urged them to gear up, climb the watchtower, stand guard, and prepare at once for fierce battle’s call.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units