Remains of the Ancestral Tomb and City of the Liao Dynasty

Remains of the Ancestral Tomb and City of the Liao Dynasty

The Remains of the Ancestral Tomb and City of the Liao Dynasty is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Ancestral Prefecture was the birthplace of four generations of ancestors of Emperor Taizu Yelü Abaoji. The Ancestral Tomb is the burial site of the Liao empress dowagers and Empress Shulü. It is located in the northwest of Hadayingge Township, Balinzuo Banner, about 20 kilometers from Lindong Town. The area within the city is densely forested with murmuring springs. Before entering the urban area, one can see two abrupt peaks, as if hewn by axe and knife, standing opposite each other on the left and right—this is what people call the "Black Dragon Gate." Looking around at the surrounding peaks, the mountains are covered with lush green trees, and streams trickle down. In autumn, the Ancestral Prefecture is particularly picturesque, with red leaves rustling and clear springs flowing, offering breathtaking scenery. Inside the Ancestral Prefecture city lies a stone house (commonly known locally as the "Stone House"), built from seven massive granite blocks. Despite enduring a thousand years of wind and rain, it still stands firmly. How the stone house was built and what purpose it served remain mysteries through the ages. Ancient roads, ancient bridges, Ancestral Mountain, Turtle Turtle Mountain, Liao tombs, stone statues (翁仲), Tianti Mountain, and Muye Mountain are among the attractions that draw many tourists for archaeological exploration, sightseeing, and hiking.

The Ancestral City of the Liao Dynasty is located in Shifang Village, Hadayingge Township, Balinzuo Banner, nestled in a valley surrounded by peaks. It served as the ancestral tomb city (奉陵邑) for the Ancestral Tomb of Emperor Taizu Yelü Abaoji of the Liao Dynasty. It was established in the second year of the Tianxian era (927 AD) by Emperor Taizong.

The Ancestral Prefecture was originally the "Western Tower" established by the Taizu, the ancestral home of the Yelü clan of the Dilie tribe, the ruling family of the Liao Dynasty. Since four generations of the Taizu’s ancestors were born here, Emperor Taizong named the city “Ancestral Prefecture” after constructing it.

The Ancestral City was built against the mountain, taking an irregular pentagonal shape with a perimeter of 1,750 meters. The city walls were constructed from rammed earth and featured four gates. At the northwest corner, there are remnants of a watchtower, with additional turret structures located about a hundred meters to the west of the watchtower. Inside the city, there are inner-city structures, including the Two Bright Halls (二明殿) and the Two Ritual Halls (二仪殿) along with their auxiliary halls. Government offices, various palace quarters, and the silk-weaving workshops (绫绵院) were built in the eastern part of the city. A T-shaped main street ran through both the inner and outer cities, leading directly to markets. The streets were crisscrossed with alleys, and densely built houses marked the residential areas for commoners.

During the late Liao Dynasty under Emperor Tianzuo, the rebellion led by Yelü Zhangnu caused damage to the Ancestral Prefecture. In the ninth year of the Tianqing era (1119 AD), Jin troops captured the Ancestral Prefecture, looted it extensively, dug up graves, and set massive fires, completely destroying the site. Although the Jin Dynasty later briefly established a prefecture called Fengzhou here, it was soon abandoned.

The Ancestral City was an important city in the early Liao period and also served as the second political center of the Liao Dynasty. It holds significant historical value for the study of early Liao history, architecture, customs, and more. In 1963, it was designated as one of the first batch of key cultural relics protection units by the People's Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In 1986, with approval from the State Council, the Ancestral Prefecture and the Ancestral Tomb were listed as National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.