Site of the Ancient Raozhou City

Site of the Ancient Raozhou City

The Site of the Ancient Raozhou City is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Liao Dynasty

The Site of the Ancient Raozhou City is located in Huangtukeng Village, Xiyingtougou Village Committee, Shuangjingdian Township, Linxi County, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It lies 254 meters south of the Xar Moron River and is a ruin of an ancient city from the Liao Dynasty. The site is divided into an eastern and a western city, with the eastern being larger and the western smaller. The total length is 1,400 meters, including 1,050 meters for the eastern city and…

The city site is divided into eastern and western sections. The eastern city is larger, while the western one is smaller. The entire site stretches 1,400 meters, with the eastern city spanning 1,050 meters, the western city 350 meters in length, and 700 meters in width. The city walls have a base width of 12 meters and remaining heights of 2–4 meters. The walls were rammed earth constructions, with two gates on the east and west sides respectively—gate locations are clearly visible, along with remnants of barbicans. Seven earthen mounds are aligned at equal distances along the northern side, and at the center of the southern wall, there is a 60-square-meter building platform, which is the site of the southern gate. Near the eastern gate of the eastern city, there is a building site covered with smelting slag, solidified iron residue, and a large number of iron nails, iron rings, and cast iron fragments. Approximately 100 meters southwest of the city site stands a stone temple, locally known as the “White Temple.” This stone temple features delicate carvings, neat patterns, and exquisite designs.

At the summit of a small hill northwest of the city site, clear remains of a stone wall can be found. The surrounding perimeter of this stone wall is 200 meters, with a diameter of 70 meters. This is the site of the defensive facilities of Raozhou City. On the mountain directly north of the city site, there are five terraces, each with clearly visible building ruins. The ground is scattered with numerous broken bricks and tiles, all of which are construction materials from Liao Dynasty temples, indicating temple ruins from that era. Excavations have uncovered porcelain shards, pottery shards, pots, bottles, bowls, plates, ceramic ox heads, horse figurines, chopping knives, picks, shovels, iron spears, arrowheads, and other items. Additionally, an iron weighing weight with a narrowed middle section was unearthed, though it bears no inscriptions. Building materials include stone-carved coiled dragon components, roof tiles adorned with beast and lotus patterns, coarse-textured large tiles, tubular tiles, grooved gray bricks, and brownish-green glazed tiles. Production tools such as stone mortars and pestles were also found.

In May 2013, it was designated and announced by the State Council as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

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