Ancient City of Jingzhou Road

Ancient City of Jingzhou Road

The Ancient City of Jingzhou Road is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The ruins of the Ancient City of Jingzhou Road are located in Chengbuzi Village, 25 kilometers northwest of Wulan Town, Siziwang Banner, Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, the ancient city is near the Tebu River, which flows from the southern mountains.

The ancient city is roughly rectangular, with sides about 800 meters long. Additionally, there is an extension to the southwest, approximately 100 meters north-south and 50 meters east-west, situated at a higher elevation and currently quite damaged. The city wall remains stand about 6 meters high. Inside the city, there are two building ruins, each about 30 meters long from north to south and 15 meters wide from east to west. Scattered across the ruins are numerous glazed tiles and ancient bricks. Excavations have uncovered copper weights of various sizes, copper seals, copper stoves, and a small number of ceramic fragments. The ancient city had both north-south and east-west main streets, with over ten building foundations scattered around, piled with large amounts of ancient bricks and ceramic pieces. Ancient tombs near the site have yielded unique ceremonial hats—known as "gugu crowns"—worn by noble Mongolian women during the Yuan Dynasty, making them valuable historical artifacts.

The ancient city was once known as Tianshan County during the Jin Dynasty, and Jingzhou Road during the Yuan Dynasty. After Genghis Khan’s daughter, the “Regent Princess” Alahai, married into the Mongol Ongud tribe, the Ongud people governed Jingzhou Road. It served as a key transportation hub between the northern steppes and the Central Plains. The tribe followed Nestorianism (a branch of Christianity), giving the ancient city ruins even more mysterious cultural significance.

In May 2006, the Ancient City of Jingzhou Road was designated by the State Council as part of the sixth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units