Ruins of Harakutu City

　　The city site is built on the eastern slope of an independent small hill, guarding the Riyue Mountain and the upper reaches of the Yaoshui River, in a strategically important location. The city wall is 228 zhang (about 760 meters) in circumference, covering an area of 40,000 square meters. Built along the mountain, it is higher in the west and lower in the east, constructed from rammed earth. Its shape and layout are diamond-shaped and highly standardized—an extremely rare form in our province. Except for the eastern wall, which has been demolished, the other walls still stand firmly, with watchtowers at each of the four corners. There is one gate each on the east and west sides, both equipped with barbicans. The west barbican’s gate faces south and is flat and relatively wide, while the east barbican’s gate faces north, facilitating control of the north-south passage and aiding in both offense and defense. Within the city, there are ruins of five structures, including training grounds and large and small drill fields. Other remains include ash layers, hearth pits, and fragments of pottery, porcelain, bricks, and tiles. Coins such as the Tang Dynasty Kaiyuan Tongbao, Song Dynasty Tianxi Tongbao, and Qing Dynasty Kangxi Tongbao have been unearthed here.

　　According to the Dan'gaer Ting Zhi (Annals of Dan'gaer Subprefecture), the city was built in the fourth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1739) and completed in the fifth year (1740), with a garrison commander stationed for defense. Based on survey data, the northern city wall shows signs of having been built twice, with the lower layer constructed using ramming techniques similar to those of the Tang Dynasty, suggesting the possibility of an earlier city existing before the Qing construction.

　　In the third year of the Qianlong reign (1738), the Qing government added one garrison commander and one battalion commander to the Dan'gaer Battalion, stationed in Harakutu, under the jurisdiction of the Dan'gaer Lieutenant. The garrison consisted of 100 cavalry soldiers and 100 infantry soldiers. This military presence affirmed Harakutu’s status as a border pass. In the fifth year of Qianlong (1740), the Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi, Grand Secretary Lang'a, petitioned to establish eight additional battalions and forts, including Harakutu. The Harakutu Battalion was assigned 143 soldiers and one company commander. It had jurisdiction over the Riyue Mountain Post, the Wubutu Card Post, and the Tiemianku Card Post. After the twelfth year of Qianlong, aside from additions, reductions, and relocations, by the fiftieth year, the number of cavalry and infantry soldiers remained at 143. In the third year of the Daoguang reign (1823), considering Harakutu as the foremost strategic point within the border, the Qing government moved the Zhenhai Fort garrison commander to Harakutu and relocated the Harakutu Battalion company commander to Zhenhai Fort. Zhenhai Fort then allocated 24 cavalry soldiers, 38 infantry soldiers, and 37 garrison troops to Harakutu. Later, due to reductions, dismissals, and pauses in recruitment, the number of stationed troops fluctuated. The Harakutu Battalion was disbanded in the third year of the Republic of China (1914).

　　Although called a city, there were no civilian houses or residents within. Upon entering the east gate, the first thing you see is the former site of the garrison commander’s office, commonly known as the yamen, where the commander worked. Walking up the steps, on the right is the Temple of the Earth God, followed by the City God Temple and the Jade Emperor Temple. On the left is the Mountain God Temple, followed by the Guan Yu Temple, with the Jade Emperor Temple leading to the west gate. None of these temples and structures remain today. Outside the east gate, at the foot of Longshan Mountain, there was a north-south street that once had an overpass building. It was a bustling commercial district and also a residential area. In the past, shops lined the north-south street, and the foreign firms and major "xiejia" (merchant agencies) of Huangyuan County all had branch offices here to receive Mongolian and Tibetan merchants and handle livestock trade. Additionally, outside the northeast corner of the city near the river, there was a military training ground and horse training facilities (tangwo) extending all the way to Moduji Village. Across the river on the hillside was a material platform, and on the southeast slope of the city was a military camp platform, which was the site of an ancient military camp.

　　The Harakutu city site is relatively large, with relatively intact city walls, and its diamond-shaped layout is the first of its kind among ancient cities in Qinghai. The city walls, moats, corner bastions, and barbicans are all fairly well-preserved, making it of significant importance and historical value for the study of ancient military affairs, city layout, and the interactions among Mongolian, Tibetan, and Han ethnic groups.