Yehuzhong Site

　　   The Yehuzhong Site is situated about 100 meters south of Ximiao Village, Baoshan Town, Chenggu County. Originally, the site had a conical shape, standing around 18 meters high and covering an area of over 30 acres. In the 1970s, locals built a brick kiln next to the site and used its soil to make bricks, which led to the reduction in the site’s size. Currently, the base of the site is rectangular, measuring 30 meters from east to west and 26 meters from north to south, with a height of about 18 meters. Cross-sections of the site reveal that it consists of compacted artificial fill. Each layer of rammed earth is about 40 centimeters thick, and circular holes can be observed. There are seven such earthen mounds in Baoshan, where Yehuzhong is located, collectively known as the “Seven Maidens’ Mounds.” According to the Commentary on the Water Classic (Shui Jing Zhu), “The river flows east past the Seven Maidens’ Mounds, which lie on either side of the water, scattered like stars, standing over ten zhang tall, and encircling several acres.” Later, locals named them based on their shapes and sizes: Pagoda Mound, Square Mound, Small Mound, Yehuzhong, among others. In 2011, it was designated as a cultural heritage site under the protection of Chenggu County People's Government.