Site of Xiagu City

　　   The Site of Xiagu City is located at the foot of Jinping Mountain in the southern suburbs of Huzhou City and is a national key cultural relics protection unit. It borders the Dongtiaoxi River to the southeast and leans against Jinping Mountain to the north. It was the seat of Gu County of the Chu State during the Warring States period and of Wucheng County established by the Qin Dynasty. The city earned its name Xiagu — meaning “Reed-covered Marsh City” — because it “faced streams and marshes, with reeds stretching as far as the eye can see.” It was built in the 15th year of King Kaolie of Chu during the Warring States period (248 BC).

　　   The Site of Xiagu City is the earliest and best-preserved ancient city site among those in southeastern China.

　　   Xiagu City consists of an inner and outer wall. The outer wall (also called the double wall) covers an area of about 200,000 square meters, while the inner wall (or sub-city) is situated in the southeastern corner of the outer wall and covers an area of about 80,000 square meters. The walls of Xiagu City were all built from rammed yellow earth. They range in height from 6 to 9 meters, are 3 to 5 meters wide at the top, and 20 to 30 meters wide at the base, with a trapezoidal cross-section.

　　   Within the city walls of Xiagu, artifacts such as impressed-pattern pottery, primitive celadon, and sand-tempered pottery fragments have been found. Ancient structures known in local legend as “beacon mounds” are scattered across nearby hilltops, which archaeologists refer to as either tumulus tombs or stone-chamber tombs.

　　   Currently, within the inner city of the Xiagu City site stands a memorial wall dedicated to the site. The wall is 3 meters high, 18 meters wide, built from granite, and inscribed with the long history of Xiagu City.