HU Ming Great Wall Chronicle
HU Ming, director of the China Great Wall Society, formerly served as deputy director of Zhangbei Cultural Bureau and executive deputy director of Zhangbeiyuan Zhongdu Site Management Office, has conducted long-term field inspections on the Great Wall. This article is the result of his field investigation of the Ming Great Wall extending to the western mountain of Zhangjiakou, and corrects the wrong statement that it has long been regarded as the Great Wall of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
In the "Zhangjiakou Exhibition Hall" important building in Zhangjiakou City, the "Zhangjiakou Exhibition Hall" recently held the "Celebration of the Renovation and Renovation of the Exhibition Hall and the Urban Style Exhibition", which is a major event in the political and cultural life of the people of Zhangjiakou. As the author of this article who has participated in the work during the construction of the exhibition hall, I was particularly happy to visit several times. Since then, a photo of the Great Wall in "City Style" has made me unable to let go: it was originally the "Ming Great Wall" extending from Dajing Gate to the Western Mountains, why does the "Northern Wei Great Wall" be written under the photo?
Figure 1 Photo of the "Northern Wei Great Wall" exhibited on the west wall of the North Exhibition Hall. I really dare to write!
Figure 2 The author took the Ming Great Wall at the top of the north peak of Sandaogou, west of Dajingmen,
Last summer, the People's Park was just renovated. When I was walking there, I saw a row of large propaganda signs standing along the west wall in the north, including this photo of the "Northern Wei Great Wall". At that time, I thought maybe the creator did it casually, so I walked away without caring. And this time it was officially exhibited in the exhibition hall, so it was definitely not for it.
With this question, I consulted a comrade who is more familiar with the situation. Reply: 1. The exhibition content was studied and decided by leaders at all levels and experts from relevant parties; 2. The leaders of the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau recognized this photo; 3. When inspecting this Great Wall, a vice president of the China Great Wall Society agreed that "this Great Wall was built on the site of the Great Wall of Northern Wei in the Ming Dynasty."
Based on the above reply, the author found the content that proves the above reply:
1. Scenic Picture Network: Picture name: Great Wall of All Dynasties - Great Wall Ruins from the Northern Wei and Northern Qi dynasties. Original picture description: "The Great Wall of All Dynasties - the Great Wall site pictures from the Northern Wei and Northern Qi dynasties are pictures of the ruins/relics type. The scenic spots are the Great Wall of All Dynasties, located in Shijiazhuang City, my country."
Figure 3 Scenic Picture Network: Great Wall of All Dynasties - the Great Wall site from the Northern Wei and Northern Qi dynasties
Figure 4 The author took the Ming Great Wall on the west mountain of Dajingmen 100 meters west of Dajingmen (the village outside the Great Wall is Dongyaozi Village outside Dajingmen)
2. Hebei Daily News (Reporter Dong Lilong) "According to the key to the Great Wall, the key to the border" (2006-06-06): "Restore Xiaojingmen and Shuisu, connect Dajingmen and Dongtaiping Mountain, and rescue protection of the Northern Wei Great Wall connecting Jellyfish Palace to the west of Dajingmen." (Copyright: Zhangjiakou Municipal People's Government Office Production and Maintenance: Zhangjiakou Electronic Government External Network Management Center Hebei ICP No. 05005499)
3. Travel Video Network: "Dajingmen": "The Great Wall of Dajingmen was built in the 21st year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty (1485). It was built on the basis of the Northern Wei and Northern Qi Great Walls, with a history of more than 500 years."
4. Dajingmen Source: China Youyou.com 2007-9-13 11:40:16 "The Great Wall is the crystallization of the labor and wisdom of the people of all ethnic groups in our country. The Great Wall in Zhangjiakou was built on the basis of the Northern Wei and Northern Qi Great Walls in the 21st year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty (1485)."
After reading the above information, I have been sleeping for many days. As a Zhangjiakou native who loves the Great Wall, in order to maintain the authenticity of the Great Wall history and the seriousness of academic research, and to shape the good historical and cultural image of the people of Zhangjiakou, as the responsibility of protectors of the Great Wall, I cannot remain silent on this statement.
1. What is the root of the conclusion of the "Northern Wei Great Wall"?
In 2006, Zhangjiakou published a set of "Zhangjiakou Historical and Cultural Series", which was compiled by the city's main leaders, organized, arranged and arranged relevant professionals to organize relevant functional departments. Therefore, this series is extremely authoritative.
The fourth volume of the "Series" is "The Existing Ancient Great Wall". Some of the above statements about the "Northern Wei Great Wall" basically come from the publicity of the book and its editors.
is now excerpted from the second paragraph of the book:
1. The chapter of the Great Wall of Northern Wei: "In the northern part of Zhangjiakou city, a majestic Great Wall extends along the Dajingmen to the east and west sides, like a giant dragon guarding Zhangjiakou, a famous city outside the Great Wall. This Great Wall is the Northern Great Wall that was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and was later repaired and used by the Ming Dynasty...
The direction of this Great Wall in Zhangjiakou is from the east to the south of Chicheng County . After 40 miles of the water cliff, it goes north through Zhuanghu, Bianmangliang, Lixianggou, Hufang, Heituwa, Dapodun, Hongshaliang, Liangmagou, Xiaozhuangke, Chongbaicaoanliang, pass Zhaojiazhuang, Shajian, Lidonggou, Songhua Village, and eastward to Xiaojingmen and Tuoluochaba, enter Guyuan County and merge into Yanbei Great Wall. Go west again, pass through Laozhanggou , basswood beam, brick dunshan, Changsheng (sheng) land, Nianpangou, and horse farm, then southwest through Batagou and Chonghuapiling, and then turn southwest through Batagou and Chonghuapiling. Go south, through Liudaota, Sandaoying, and Shaling, it meets with the Ming Great Wall of Dajian Mountain, and then goes west through Xuanhua County, Fenghuang Mountain, Donggao Mountain, Xigao Mountain, Rentou Mountain, Zhangjiakou City, Yuer Mountain, Dongtai Mountain, Xitaiping Mountain, Wolong Mountain to Zhangbei County, Badi Village, Huanghuaping area and join Zhao and Qin Great Wall. Finally, it leaves from Huaian to Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia, for a full length of about 250 kilometers. Most of the building shape of the entire Great Wall is made of earth and stone, or dry-inserted stone walls. After more than 1,500 years of wind and rain, most of the walls have collapsed into stone ridges, with a width of 3 to 5 meters and a height of 2 to 3 meters. There are also some beacon towers along the Great Wall, and most of them collapse into piles of earth and stone. Many of the Great Wall were restored and used in the Ming Dynasty. But on the west side of the Dajing Gate, the beacon tower that still stands is still a relic of the Northern Wei Dynasty. "
2. Chapter of the Ming Great Wall: "The Great Wall, also known as Dushi Road, is connected to Chaohe River in the east (now Fengning District, Chengde), to Suoyang Pass in the west, to Chang'an Mountain in the south, to the north (now Dushikou in the north). This section of the Great Wall was repaired and newly built and completed in the late Ming Dynasty on the basis of the original Northern Wei and Tang Great Walls. It is 345 kilometers long and is circular in shape around the entire territory of today's Chicheng. "
" Turning from Dajian Mountain to west, climbing onto the Phoenix Mountain through Xiaobaiyangkou and Dabaiyangkou, and then continuing to move towards West, Changyukou, Qingbiankou , Yangfangbao Liugoudun to Polutai from Rentou Mountain in Xuanhua, is connected to Shangxi Road Great Wall. Many areas of this section of Great Wall use the Great Wall built in the eighth year of Taichang in the Northern Wei Dynasty (423). Sometimes the Northern Wei Great Wall and the Ming Great Wall run parallel to the mountains. "
2. Questioning the "Northern Wei Great Wall"
From the description of the direction and route of the "Northern Wei Great Wall" in "The Existing Ancient Great Wall", except for the Great Wall in Guyuan, it is basically the location of the Ming Great Wall.
1.XuanfuThe Ming Great Wall in the territory has four Great Walls running north and south, arranged from east to west: 〈1〉Xiaojingmen→Toudaoliang; 〈2〉Maliankou→Dajianshan; 〈3〉Huanghuaping→Cuipingan; 〈4〉Zhenbiantai→Dongyanghe. The Ming Dynasty "reduced the border" divided the grasslands and mountain areas outside the boundary and built the Great Wall along the border. Two of them did not give up:
1 is the "monotone" strategic location to protect the capital. In order to encircle the monostone and the Hei and Bai river basins within the boundary, we became two great walls running north and south.
The second is 0,000 full Right Guard and military strategists of all dynasties must fight for Yehuling . In order to encircle Yehuling, Wanquan Youwei, the ancient city river and the kitchen fort river basins within the boundary, we entered two great walls running north and south.
The Great Wall of the Northern Wei Dynasty built in the eighth year of Taichang (423), aims to prevent the Rouran people from the north from infringement on the farming areas. The northern territory of the Northern Wei Dynasty was on the grasslands, the northern boundary line of Huade, Kangbao, Taipu Siqi, and Guyuan, and the eastern boundary of Liaoshui.These four north-south Great Walls are more than 200 kilometers north and more than 300 kilometers east, and are basically in the abdomen of the Northern Wei Dynasty. What is the purpose and significance of building the Great Wall?
"Northern Wei Great Wall" Since you entered Huapi Ridge from Guyuan, why not follow the Qin and Han Great Wall ruins on Huapi Ridge westward, and go directly to Huanghuaping at the east end of Yehu Ridge at the confluence point of the Qin, Han, Northern Wei and Ming Great Walls, but turn southeast from Huapi Ridge to return to the Ming Great Wall at the junction of Sandaoying East Chongli and Guyuan, and go around Dajian Mountain at the junction of Xuan, Gu and Chong counties, go west through the Dajing Gate of Zhangjiakou, and go north from Cuiping Temple to Huanghuaping. What's the point of going around the mountains and ravines at the bottom of the dam and then returning to Huanghuaping?
2. "The Existing Ancient Great Wall" only describes the location of the "Northern Wei Great Wall" and lacks detailed historical information; the ruins and continuity of the Great Wall; the historical and cultural information of the same era; necessary archaeological excavations, etc. The only evidence is: "But on the west side of the Dajing Gate, the beacon tower that still stands is still a ruin from the Northern Wei Dynasty." What is the basis for saying that it is a "relics from the Northern Wei Dynasty"?
Figure 5 Beacon Tower on the west side of the Dajing Gate
3. "The Existing Ancient Great Wall" investigates the Ming Great Wall and related facilities in Zhangjiakou, and especially describes the Great Wall between the Dajing Gate and the Jellyfish Palace in detail. This Great Wall is well preserved. In some areas, the Great Wall is 6 to 8 meters high, the bottom is 4 to 4.5 meters wide, the top is 0.8 to 2 meters wide, and the walls are neat (the Great Wall photographed in the photo of "The Great Wall of the Northern Wei Dynasty" is this Great Wall). This section of the city wall was continued from the edge of the Dajing Gate. Whether it is the wall shape and structure or the surface remains, it is undoubtedly the Ming Great Wall. Why is it promoted as "The Great Wall of the Northern Wei Dynasty"? To take a step back, even if it was built on the basis of the Northern Wei Great Wall, the Ming Dynasty buildings that were fully displayed on the surface cannot be described as buildings of the Northern Wei. For example: Yuan Dadu Palace was built at the ruins of Jin Zhongdu Palace, Ming Forbidden City was built at the ruins of Yuan Dadu Palace. Can we call Ming Forbidden City the Palace of Jin Zhongdu?
3. In recent years, academic research on the Northern Wei Great Wall
Most of the data from the "Existing Ancient Great Wall" comes from the cultural relics census in the early 1980s, namely the "Zhangjiakou Regional Cultural Relics Census Data Collection". The results of that cultural relics survey were brilliant. In terms of the Great Wall investigation, the relics of the Great Wall on the surface of the past dynasties were basically found. Due to the various conditions at that time, there may be some differences in the identification of the dynasties of the surface ruins. In recent years, with the attention of the country and governments at all levels to the Great Wall, the academic community has continuously launched new investigation and research results. Now, the investigation and research conclusions involving the geographical location of the Northern Wei Great Wall in Zhangjiakou are given a few examples:
Figure 6: Great Wall Station: Schematic diagram of the Northern Wei Great Wall
1. "On the Northern Wei Great Wall - Establishment of the Military Town Defense System" Author: Zhang Min
"Although the Northern Wei Great Wall was built on the basis of the Zhao Yan Great Wall and the Qin and Han Great Walls in the Warring States Period , Zhao Yan Great Wall and Qin and Han Great Walls, these earth construction projects have been eroded by hundreds of years of wind and rain and have long been destroyed. It can be said that they mainly use their foundations and routes. The city walls need to be rebuilt, and the project volume is still very large."
2. China Great Wall Network: China Great Wall, "Northern Wei Great Wall": Author: Sun Zhiming "In order to defend against Rouran and the harassment of the Khitan in the northeast, Emperor Yuan of Ming Dynasty followed the Qin and Han dynasties to defend against the Huns, in 423 AD, he built a Great Wall on the Inner Mongolia grassland in northern Hebei. It starts from the northeast of Chicheng, Hebei in the east, passes through Zhangbei, Shangyi , enters Huade, Shangdu, Chayouhouqi, Chayouzhongqi, Siziwangqi, Wuchuan, Guyang , and then west into Yinshan, with a length of about 1,000 kilometers."
3. "On the Location and Direction of the Northern Wei Great Wall", author: Ai The position and direction of the Northern Wei Dynasty Great Wall, the starting point of the western section is located in Xishanzui on the east bank of the Uga River in the Urat Fore Banner, towards the east through the Baotou City, Tushente Left Banner, Tushente Right Banner, Hohhot City, Zhuozi County, Zhuozi County, , Chayou Front Banner, Xinghe County, enter Hebei Province, pass Shangyi, Zhangbei, Chongli, follow Shandong, and arrive at the watershed near Dushikou, Chicheng County, Hebei Province, and the watershed between Baihe and Luanhe."
4. "A Study on the Great Wall in Northern China", author: Li Yiyou
" The Northern Wei Dynasty built the Great Wall three times. The Great Wall in the eighth year of Taichang should have been repaired along the Qin and Han Great Wall. "The Records of Emperor Taizong" records that in the fourth year of Yongxing (412), "the car drove to the north to the Great Wall and returned." This is a story twelve years ago before Taichang eight years. Tuoba Si already had the awareness of using the Great Wall to defend Rouran. Therefore, the Great Wall, which was "the northern tour to the Great Wall" was only determined to repair it in the eighth year of Taichang. The Great Wall, which was "extended for two thousand miles", was like building a wall. At that time, the national and human resources could not complete it in a short time...
The Great Wall built by the Northern Wei Dynasty for the first time should have been repaired by the Qin and Han Great Wall between Chicheng and Wuyuan. It starts from the mountains north of Dushikou, Chicheng County, Hebei Province in the east, passes through the mountains between Chongli and Guyuan, and then goes through the south of Zhangbei County, the south of Shangyi County, and the northwest corner of Huaian County, and enters Inner Mongolia...
I think the first time that was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty was the Qin and Han Great Wall between Chicheng and Wuyuan, which was not without any basis. If it were not for the renovation, it would be hard to imagine that the power of the Northern Wei Dynasty could be able to build a Great Wall of about 1,000 kilometers long east and west within two months. ...The capital Shangsai built by Zhenjun Taiping in the seventh year, surrounded by Pingcheng, also traveled southwest from Juyong Pass to Lingqiu, Shanxi, and westward, passing through the current Pingxing Pass, Yanmen Pass, and Ningwu Pass to Panguan, and then to Panguan Laoying North.
The Great Wall built in the eighth year of Taihe is the Great Wall built by the Tuoba Xianbei on its northern border, that is, from the present time of Kangbao County, Hebei Province, through Taipu Temple Banner and Zhenglan Banner, it has reached the area between Fengning County, Hebei. There are not many fort sites seen along the Great Wall. It may be because the southern line of Jinjiemo of Jinjiemo was converted into a border fort, and it is impossible to conclude before the city site was excavated. ”
4. Investigation and verification of the "Northern Wei Great Wall" of Dajingmen
0 There are two common understandings of the Northern Wei Great Wall:
1. It was built along Qin Han Great Wall ;
2. The route in Zhangjiakou is: from the east to the mountain north of Dushikou, Chicheng County, Hebei Province, travel west to the mountain between Chongli and Guyuan, and then through the south of Zhangbei County, the south of Shangyi County, and the northwest corner of Huaian County, and enter Inner Mongolia.
My field survey and verification opinions on the "Northern Wei Great Wall":
(I) Experts and scholars The recognition of the Great Wall of Northern Wei
Mr. Li Yiyou has basically made it clear about the Great Wall of Northern Wei. His description of the Great Wall of Northern Wei in Zhangjiakou is correct. That is, from the east, from the mountain north of Dushikou, Chicheng County, Hebei Province, travel westward through the mountains between Chongli and Guyuan, and then through the south of Zhangbei County, the south of Shangyi County, and the northwest corner of Huaian County, and enter Inner Mongolia.
I agree with Mr. Li’s statement:
1.Mr. Li personally conducted field field inspections, especially in Shangyi, Zhangbei and Guyuan for field inspections, and wrote the "Research on the Great Wall of Northern China" which is of great value for the study of my country's Great Wall;
2. This author's field investigation of the Jinjie Trenches in Guyuan, Kangbao, Huade and Shangdu (completed the "Jinjie Trenches and Wusha Castles in the Jinfuzhou Realm") and the field investigation of the Great Wall of Guyuan, Zhangbei, Shangyi and Qin and Han (the subsequent "Yehuling Examination" and "Yehuling Qin Great Wall Survey") confirmed that Mr. Li's verification is confirmed.
In the autumn of 2002, I went to Inner Mongolia to ask Mr. Li about the Great Wall. Unfortunately, Director Wei Jian of the Inner Mongolia Original Literature Research Institute told me: Mr. Li died of a heart disease recently. Here, this cultural relics and archaeology that insists on combining theoretical research with field investigation and contributes to the research of the Great Wall. Home to express condolences!
(II) Field investigation from Dajingmen to Jellyfish Palace Great Wall
Recently, I asked two more well-known Great Wall enthusiasts in Zhangjiakou's literary and historical circles to climb the city from Dajingmen and hike along the Ming Great Wall to the peak of the Nantianmen section of the back mountain of the Jellyfish Palace. Objective: to find the ruins of the Great Wall outside the Ming Great Wall. This section of the Ming Great Wall is built on the top of the peak. No other Great Wall remains were found on both sides of the Great Wall. There are a long section of the Ming Great Wall with steep slopes or cliffs on both sides, so there is no other building. We met Lao Zhang, a villager in Nantianmen at the foot of the Great Wall on the back mountain of the Jellyfish Palace. Lao Zhang is 64 years old and his ancestors live in Nantianmen Village.He was particularly familiar with the environment in this area and introduced us in detail the situation since the founding of the Great Wall, as well as all the mountaineering paths in Cuiping'an, and offered to lead the way if necessary. The ground in our location is relatively flat and we have the conditions to build several Great Walls in parallel. We repeatedly asked: Are there any other Great Wall in this area besides this Great Wall? Lao Zhang answered with certainty: No.
Figure 7 Lao Zhang introduces us to the Great Wall
Figure 8 This is a well-preserved Great Wall, 8 meters high and 2 meters wide on the top
The Great Wall of the Northern Wei Dynasty may be superimposed under the Ming Great Wall? We found the answer under that section of the better preserved Ming Great Wall (Figure 8): This section of the stone wall is directly built on the original rock layer on the peak, and there is no supplement at the junction of the stone wall and the rock layer. The on-site situation proves that there are no other architectural remains under the Ming Great Wall (Figure 9).
Figure 9 The Ming Great Wall is directly built on the original rock formation (the shooting point is at the top of Sandaogou)
The Ming Great Wall is only at the "earth-border dam entrance" from Huanghuaping to Zhenhutaibatou (there is a rammed earth wall with a residual height of more than ten meters, hence the name) and is consistent with the direction of the Qin and Han Dynasties and Northern Wei Great Walls. The Ming Great Wall goes north from Cuiping Temple to Huanghuapingbatou and the Qin and Han Dynasties and Northern Wei Great Walls from the border between Zhangbei and Chongli in the northeast (Figure 10). It follows Batou (Yehuling Peak Line) to Tubianbakou. The Qin and Han Great Wall continues to travel westward, but the Ming Great Wall turns right at the right angle to the bottom of the dam.
Figure 10 The junction of Huanghuaping Ming and Qin Great Walls (the Ming Great Wall is east-west in the south)
There are three construction conditions for the Ming Great Wall in this section:
1. The peak ridge is superimposed with the Qin and Han and Northern Wei Great Walls; the gentle area is parallel, and there are two and three parallel wonders of the parallel wonders of two and three Great Walls appear on Yehu Ridge (Figure 11 and 12);
2. The Ming Great Wall is far away from the Qin and Han and Northern Wei Great Walls. At the top of the Taitung Dam in the water gorge, the Ming Great Wall goes straight to the west to the Tubianbakou, while the Qin and Han Dynasties and Northern Wei Great Walls travel south along the dam, and go around the west side of Jiguan Mountain to return to the Tubianbakou and form a cross with the Ming Great Wall (there is a saying that Zhaobei Great Wall has arrived here). The above situation shows that the Ming Great Wall is the same as the Qin and Han Dynasties and Northern Wei Great Walls, and they may not be on the same location;
3. As long as the ground conditions allow, the ruins of the former Great Wall will not be used, but will be newly built alone. Therefore, according to the construction of the Great Wall on Yehu Ridge, it is impossible for the Ming Great Wall and the Northern Wei Great Wall to be stacked at a distance of hundreds of kilometers.
Figure 11 The second Great Wall in Yehuling is parallel (the right sand and gravel structure is Ming Great Wall, and the left is rammed earth Great Wall)
Figure 12 The parallel wonder of the three Great Wall in Yehuling is parallel (the left is Ming Great Wall)
(three) The west pier platform in the inner side of the Dajing Gate is . It is a cylindrical rammed earth mound platform 10 meters away from the city wall. There is a cylindrical rammed earth mound platform, 10 meters high, 9 meters bottom diameter, and the rammed layer is 20 to 25 cm thick. There is a more obvious connection line at two-thirds of the pier. There is a clear color of the rammed earth on the upper and lower side. It can be determined that the upper part was built later (Figure 13). There are traces of bricks around.
Figure 13 Two-thirds of the pier platform have obvious subsequent connections
The geographical location of this platform is very special: it is leaning against a high mountain cliff in the west, close to the city wall in the north, and less than 100 meters away from Daqinghe and the east mountain in the east, and only to the south can the city.
According to a comrade who accompanied the head of the China Great Wall Society to inspect the pier, the original words of the person in charge at that time were: "This beacon is so close to the Great Wall. It has been rebuilt. The lower part may be from the Ming Great Wall."
The accompanying person said, "The Ming Great Wall was previously the Northern Wei Great Wall." This dialogue was evolved by later generations into: the Northern Wei ruins → Northern Wei beacons → Northern Wei beacons → Northern Wei Great Wall. It is consistent with the Northern Wei Great Wall discussed in "The Existing Ancient Great Wall", and has become a national testimony that "the Great Wall of Dajingmen was built on the ruins of the Northern Wei Great Wall."
When investigating the Great Wall west of Dajingmen, it was found that:
1. The Yandun along this section of the Great Wall is about 10 meters away from the Great Wall. Some Yanduns are less than 10 meters outside the Great Wall;
2. The Yanduns are all located at the top of the mountain peak, but the Great Wall in the places with Yanduns bypasses Yandun.In the small peak plane, the Great Wall is built on the slope below the Yandun;
3. The Great Wall from Dajingmen to the north peak of Cuiping'an is built with stones, and the smoke pier is all built with rammed earth; the existing smoke pier is completely circular cylinder, but before it is destroyed, it is a square cylinder with bricks.
Analysis from the above situation, Yandun was built first and Great Wall was built later. It is possible to repair the original fire piers when building the Great Wall or build new piers as needed. The smoke pier at Dajing Gate has been trimmed or reinforced twice or multiple times. In the 20th year of Yongle (1422), Xinghe was captured by Alutai. In the year of Xinghe's defense of Qianhu, he moved to Xuanfu. After that, the Ming Dynasty's defense of the border retreated to the line of the Ming Great Wall today. In the fifth year of Xuande, Kaiping retreated to Dushi, Wanquan set up a commander commander, and the defense agencies and directions of the northern border of Xuanfu were basically determined. In order to strengthen the defense of the Liao, Jin, Yuangu Road, and the Yehuling line and the garrison of border guards, from the fourth year of Xuande to the tenth year of Xuande, border guards such as Zhangjiakou Fort , Xinkaikou Fort, Xinhekou Fort, Ximalin Fort, etc. were successively built on Shangxi Road of Xuanfu. In order to build the Great Wall and serve the soldiers guarding the border, a kitchen fort was built in the 15th year of Chenghua (1479). The Great Wall was built in the 21st year of Chenghua (1485), which is the Great Wall we see today. From the completion of Zhangjiakou Fort (the fourth year of Xuande, 1429) to the construction of the Great Wall (the twenty-one of Chenghua, 1485), how did the soldiers of the fort guard and monitor the enemy situation on the border for 56 years? A whistle and a cigarette pier were built along the edge.
Figure 14 On the top of Sandaogou Beacon, a Yandun built on the Great Wall, which is less than ten meters in the Great Wall,
Figure 15 The pier is built on the top of the peak, and the Great Wall is built on the slope 10 meters behind the pier. Now you can still ignite the fire from below. There is a street called "Yuantaizi Street" in the west of Mingde South Street. This name comes from the reason that there was a beacon tower here, which was a circular platform. Standing on the round platform, you can see the round platform inside the Dajingmen gate, the south to see Zhangjiakou Fort, and the northwest to see the Yandun on the top of Sandaogou Peak (Figure 14). To the west, you can meet Xiaotushan Dune... Sujia Bridge Dune... Right Aicheng... Shuiguan Dune... The north pier of the kitchen fort, that is, the fire road pier leading to Yehuling. This has built a set of effective information networks between the border and the fort. The shape and structure of these piers are basically the same. Therefore, the pier on the west side of the Dajing Gate should be the fire road pier connecting the Dajing Gate Pass and Zhangjiakou Fort in the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall of Dajingmen was renovated and reinforced many times in the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall built in the 21st year of Chenghua (1485) grew the same as the rammed earth from Cuiping'an to Badi Village, and was less than 6 meters high.
The fifth year of Longqing (1571) opened the Horse Market here. In order to prevent the tartars from attacking the pass; strengthening market supervision, in the second year of Wanli (1574), Zhangjiakou Fort, Huoludun and the rammed earth Great Wall here were bricked, and the Great Wall was raised to 10 meters. The Dajingmen Gate Terrace built thereafter was as high as 12 meters high. When building Laiyuan Fort, the horse head next to Xiaojing Gate was built into a battle platform with a top plane of 17 steps × 31 steps. Therefore, it is normal for the sentry platforms on the west side of the Dajing Gate to be increased to a height of more than 10 meters.
Figure 16 The wall washed by water in the lower half of the pier
Figure 17 The wall washed by water in the upper part of the pier (same wall as Figure 16)
Figure 18 The backlight wall next to the city wall next to the small gate is the same as the wall on the upper half of the pier
Figure 19 The Great Wall of Yehuling Taihan and Northern Wei pressed rammed earth in the Great Wall, the rammed layer is 12 cm
The composition of the rammed earth on the pier is basically the same as the composition of the rammed earth on the Great Wall, and the color of the rammed earth in the upper half is the same as the color of the rammed earth on the city wall. The upper and lower tamping layers of the pier are the same, both of which are about 20 cm. However, the rammed layer of the Great Wall of the Qin and Han Dynasties and Northern Wei on Yehu Ridge is 12 cm. The rammed earth at the bottom of the pier is more than 6 meters high. If it were a building from the Northern Wei Dynasty (412) before the city wall was covered with bricks (1574), would it be better to preserve the rammed earth platform that had been abandoned for thousands of years? Based on the above analysis, this platform should be a Ming Dynasty architecture.
Reference file:
1. "Pictures of the Three Towns in Shanxi of Xuanda", "Reading History and Ordinary Journals", "Xuanhua Prefecture Chronicles", and "Koubei Three Halls Chronicles".
2. Huaxiazi: "The Study of the Great Wall of Ming Dynasty".
3. Li Yiyou: "A Study on the Great Wall in Northern China".
4. Ai Chong: "Another discussion on the position and direction of the Northern Wei Great Wall".
5. Zhang Min: "On the Establishment of the Defense System of the Northern Wei Great Wall-Military Town".
6. Sun Zhiming: "The Great Wall of the Northern Wei Dynasty".
7. Editor-in-chief Wang Xiaoxuan, Gao Hongbin, and Deputy Editor-in-chief Ming Xiaodong: "Zhangjiakou Historical and Cultural Series 4 - The Existing Ancient Great Wall".
8. Hu Ming: "A Study on the Small Realm of the Great Wall in Ming Dynasty".
March 2008
Reprinted with permission from Hu Ming
