The Ancient City Site of Tangchaotun

　　The ancient city is situated in the northeastern corner of Qitai County, tightly integrated with the urban area. It borders the Shuimo River to the east, adjoins residential areas to the southwest, and lies adjacent to the Vegetable Garden (a vegetable production base) to the north. The city measures 315 meters in width from east to west and 490 meters in length from north to south, forming a rectangular walled enclosure with gates and battlements on all sides. A beacon tower stands on the northern wall. Currently, only remnants of the northern wall remain. Before liberation, people often found pottery vessels from the Tang Dynasty at the site. After liberation, the local cultural relics management office successively collected artifacts from the site, including red pottery wide-mouth flat-bottomed basins, gray pottery flat-bottomed three-handled large jars, gray pottery single-handled jars, fragments of Song Dynasty celadon ware, Yuan Dynasty double-fish mirrors, and Yuan Dynasty Chagatai silver coins... The name of Qitai County — “Ancient City” — originates from this site. In 1962, it was approved by the People's Government of the Autonomous Region as a key cultural relic protection unit at the autonomous region level.

　　Tangchaotun Ancient City has a long history. According to historical records, this city was one of the four counties under the jurisdiction of the Beiting Protectorate during the Tang Dynasty — specifically, Pulei County. It was established in the 14th year of the Zhenguan era (640 AD), officially designated as a county in the 2nd year of the Chang’an era (702 AD), serving as a strategic stronghold on the eastern route of the Beiting Protectorate and a vital passage along the Northern Silk Road. It was also part of the international route from Chang’an to Suyab City. 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, the site became an important military farming settlement at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. Modern people named it Tangchaotun due to the tall Tang-era walls that resembled a mound when viewed from afar.

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

　　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 rammed-earth layers still distinguishable. In 2007, a row of trees was planted along the western side as an isolation belt, and the outline of the eastern gate remains visible.

　　After liberation, the county cultural relics management office implemented various protective measures. However, because the city is closely connected to the urban area and surrounded by residential zones, people have continuously encroached upon the ancient site, creating an irreconcilable conflict between urban development and the preservation of the ancient city. Coupled with insufficient funding for protection, conservation efforts have been inadequate, preventing the millennia-old city from realizing its full potential. With the advancement of cultural initiatives, people have come to recognize the profound significance of preserving ancient sites. The cultural relics management office has proposed several measures for the development and utilization of the site.