Ruins of the Ancient City of Nandun

　　The ancient city of Nandun is located 6 kilometers west of Shuizhai and belongs to present-day Nandun Town. The ruins lie 30 meters west of the new canal, and the area of the ancient city was much larger than that of the current Nandun settlement. Remnants of the old city walls can still be found in Silao Street and Cuijie Village. Due to prolonged flooding, silt accumulation, wind and rain erosion, and human destruction, most of the southern, western, and eastern walls are now level with the ground or have become mound-like. Only a section of the northern wall remains relatively intact, standing 7 meters high, up to 10 meters wide, and stretching 215 meters long. The ancient city was built atop an ancient site. Excavations have revealed that the upper layer of the site contains a large number of coarse rope-patterned tiles, tube tile fragments, and red clay pottery shards, all dating back to the Han Dynasty. Cross-sections of the city walls reveal three distinct layers: the lower layer contains remnants such as deep-grooved li tripod feet, fine rope-patterned pottery shards, and gray pottery ding tripod (feet), along with shells and sickles; the middle layer shows clear rammed earth layers, varying in thickness from 7 to 15 centimeters, containing deep and shallow grooved li tripod feet, finely rope-patterned pottery shards, and animal bones; the upper layer (including the 40-meter section of the wall starting from the east) is rich in coarse rope-patterned roof tile fragments.

　　Historical sites within and around the ancient city of Nandun include: “Guangwu Terrace” and “Star-Gazing Terrace.” In the 19th year of the Jian’an era during the Eastern Han Dynasty (43 AD), Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu visited Nandun and held a grand banquet at the county office. Shortly afterward, Guangwu Terrace was built north of the city, and Star-Gazing Terrace was constructed inside the city. Bajiao Well is located on a high terrace north of Nandun City. Legend has it that Emperor Guangwu (Liu Xiu), pursued by Wang Mang’s troops, hid in a well, which was then covered by a spider web, allowing him to escape. Remnants of the well still exist today. “Dadige” (Great Granary) was located inside Nandun City. In the 6th year of the Zhengshi era during the Three Kingdoms’ Wei Dynasty (245 AD), Yangzhou Governor Wen Qin and Commander-in-Chief Yu Xu rose in rebellion, crossed the river to Xiang. Grand General Sima Shi and Jingzhou Governor Wu advanced from Nandun. At that time, there was a large granary (Dadige) containing stored grain. The Yangzhou army fought to seize it but suffered defeat, leading to the death of Yu Xu and others. The ruins of this granary were still visible in the early years of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty and were known as one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Xiangcheng,” namely “Morning Bell at the Grain Granary.” “Deer Garden Temple” was situated east of Nandun City and was established in the 4th year of the Tianjian era during the Liang Dynasty (505 AD), though the time of its destruction is unknown. “Xiao Gong Temple” was located outside the eastern gate of Nandun City, on the southern bank of the Gu River. It was built to honor Xiao Gong for his achievements in water control (recorded in the 11th year of the Qianlong reign in the Xiangcheng County Annals, though the temple was likely built earlier). “Wuyuan Temple” was inside the southern gate of Nandun and its construction date is uncertain. Local villagers have passed down stories that there were 72 temples in and around the ancient city of Nandun. By the 1920s, more than 10 temples still remained, including Guangwu Temple, Deer Garden Temple, Jiyuan Temple, Dongyue Temple, Stone Buddha Temple, Sanguan Temple, Tie Temple, Niangniang Temple, Huoshen Temple, and both the inner and outer mosques.