The Great Wall site of Wei Dynasty

The Great Wall site of Wei Dynasty

The Wei great wall site is located in Huayin City, Dali County and Hancheng City of Shaanxi Province.

The Great Wall site of Wei Dynasty starts from the west of Yuandong in Huashan Dynasty in the south, winds northward according to the terrain, passes Dali, Chengcheng, Heyang and other counties, and ends at Chengnan village on the West Bank of the Yellow River in the south of Hancheng City. It is the dividing line between the state of Qin and the state of Wei in the Warring States period.

Historical evolution

The great wall of Wei Dynasty was built by the state of Wei to defend the state of Qin in the Warring States period. Because it is located in the west of Wei, it is called the great wall of West Wei.

After the political reform of Wei Wenhou, the state of Wei was powerful and expanded a large area of territory in Hexi, and sent General Wu Qi to guard Xihe. In order to prevent Qin's eastward expansion and military defense, Wei built the Great Wall to consolidate the Hexi border defense.

King Huiwen of Wei Dynasty began to build from the 12th year (358 BC) to the 19th year (351 BC).

Site features

The Great Wall site of the Warring States period in Yijun, Shaanxi Province, is located on the mountain ridge in the north of Yijun County, forming a natural original barrier running through the north and south. The total length of the existing great wall site is 9594.5 meters. It is made of rammed earth and connects with the Wei great wall in Huangling County in the northeast.

The site consists of six sections of the city wall, nine beacon towers and one city site. The distance between the nine beacon towers is connected by the Great Wall. The whole city wall and beacon tower are made of 10 cm thick Rammed Soil. In 2012, the Wei great wall site was listed in the world cultural heritage list as the early Great Wall of China.

Construction history

The latest conclusion of the State Administration of Cultural Relics: Shaanxi, China Social Science News (reporter Lu hang) the State Administration of cultural relics and the Great Wall Society of China recently confirmed that the remains of the ancient Great Wall newly discovered in Yijun County, Shaanxi Province belong to the military defense project built by the Wei state during the Warring States period. This latest conclusion, which is recognized as a world cultural heritage, enriches the construction history of China's ancient Great Wall. The Great Wall site was first discovered during the third national cultural relics survey in 2009. Shaanxi Wei great wall resources investigation team conducted a special investigation on this section of the Great Wall site.

archaeological discovery

According to Yue LianJian, leader of the Great Wall resources investigation team of Wei Dynasty in Shaanxi Province, the great wall of Wei Dynasty in the Warring States period in Yijun county was built on the steep mountain ridge and the edge of the gully, winding along the mountain to form a military defense barrier and a military fortress with both offensive and defensive functions.

According to the latest archaeological exploration, the Wei great wall site is more than 2300 years ago, which consists of six sections of the city wall, nine beacon towers and one city site. Among them, the well preserved single beacon towers are from northeast to southwest, and the distance between the nine beacon towers is about 500 meters, which is connected by the city wall. In the north of Pianqiao village, there is a section of the city wall, about 150 meters long, 3-5 meters wide and 3 meters high. The whole city wall and beacon tower are made of 10 cm thick rammed earth.

The distribution and route of the Great Wall in the Warring States period and Wei Dynasty have always been concerned by historians.

Historical records

This new discovery provides new evidence for the historical records that the Great Wall was built in the spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period.

According to historical records: "Wei built the Great Wall, from the north of Zheng binluo, there are Shangjun." The great wall of Wei Dynasty is the product of the constant wars between Qin and Wei, and it is one of the most complicated great walls in the Warring States period. Some scholars say that the study of the great wall of Wei Dynasty is helpful to understand the development history of Qin and Wei dynasties and the development history of Hexi region, so it has high academic value; at the same time, it is helpful to understand the changes of the natural environment in Hexi region, and provides important reference for the development of the region, so it has strong practical significance.

The Great Wall is a product of war. During the spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, in order to defend each other, all countries set up barriers in dangerous places and built the Great Wall. In 657 BC, the Fangcheng of Chu state was the first city to build the Great Wall in China. Afterwards, the great walls of Qi, Wei, Yan, Zhao and Qin were built one after another.

In the first year of emperor Xiaogong's reign, he and Shan became powerful six times in the East, and merged with Qi Wei, Chu Xuan, Wei Hui, Yan Mei, Han AI and Zhao Cheng Chu, Wei and Qin border, Wei built the Great Wall, from the north of Zheng binluo, there is a county Wei was forced to build the Great Wall. Before 332 B.C., the east of Changjian River in Huayin belonged to Jinyi of the state of Wei. The site of the city was 2.5 km east of today's Yuemiao temple. There were many wars along the border between Qin and Wei. "The Wei family in historical records" records that "in the 36th year, Qin invaded our Yin Jin." In 362 B.C., that is, in the ninth year of King Hui of Wei, Qin attacked Wei Shaoliang (now Hancheng), broke the Wei army, and captured general Gongsun Cuo of Wei. In order to resist the invasion of Qin army, the state of Wei began to build Changcheng at the junction of the Yellow River and Qin in 358 B.C., that is, in the twelfth year of King Hui of Wei. According to shuijingzhu, King Hui of Wei "made Longjia lead his teachers to build the Great Wall in the West." It was completed in 351 BC. The next year, it was further expanded.

Although the city played a certain role in the Qin Dynasty, there were many wars along the Qin Wei border. In 354 B.C., Qin captured Shaoliang in Wei city; in 352 B.C., Qin attacked Hedong and took Anyi (Xiaxian County, Shanxi); in 351 B.C., Qin attacked Guyang in Wei; in 340 B.C., Qin Weiyang attacked Wei, defeated Wei army and captured Gongzi Mao, and Wei's power gradually declined. In 332 BC, King Hui of Wei dedicated Yinjin to the state of Qin for peace, and Qin changed Yinjin into ningqin county. From today's ruins, we can see the magnificent momentum of the great wall of Wei Dynasty, which has made an indelible mark on the history of the great wall of China. Moreover, it is 144 years earlier than the North Great Wall.

Site condition

There are eight vestiges of the great wall of Wei Dynasty in Huayin City, which are distributed for more than ten li. There is chengdun site in the west of Yuandong in Huashan Dynasty. Hongyan, Chengnan, Hewan, Xiguan and other villages are all near the great wall ruins. Among them, the east section of Chengnan village is 365 meters long and 7 meters high. The widest part of the bottom layer is 9.2 meters, with the remains of fortresses and beacon towers. Judging from the current situation of the remnant wall, the city is all rammed with fine soil, which is very solid and well protected. In the west of the city, there are the tombs of Yang Xiu, the Minister of the Han Dynasty Cao Cao, and Wang Meng, the former Prime Minister of the Qin Dynasty Fu Jian.

After on-the-spot investigation, cultural relics workers found the Great Wall site of Wei Dynasty between Zhungeer banner and Baotou. Thousands of years of wind and rain erosion, the great wall of Wei has become a line of ruins. According to the textual research on the great wall of the past dynasties, the city and the fortress can be divided into two things. Those in the inland are called the city, while those in the northern border are called the fortress. Therefore, this section of the great wall of the Wei Dynasty at the southern foot of Daqingshan Mountain between today's twelve cities and Baotou is also called Guyang fortress.

Cultural value

The Great Wall site of Wei Dynasty has a high value of cultural research. It is a reliable data and evidence for the study of ancient Chinese politics, economy, military and culture. It is listed as a national key protected cultural relic.

Daliwei Great Wall is located in the northwest of Dali County, about 15 kilometers away from Dali County, near the East Bank of Luohe River.

Exploration shows that from Dangchuan village to Changcheng village in the northwest of Dali County, that is, from Dangchuan village, dangjiayao village, donggaoheng village to Changcheng village from south to north, the length is 7 km from north to south. Most of the great wall of Wei in Dali is preserved on the ground. There are 12 places on the ground. The longest one is the section from Changcheng village to the northwest of donggaoheng, with a length of 2100 meters, a width of 16.25 and a height of 2.2-11.4 meters.

This section of the Great Wall is well preserved, with a slightly straight line from north to south. The northeast section of Changcheng village is 120 meters long, 0.75-9.35 meters wide and 1-3.1 meters high. A section of the Great Wall in the northwest of donggaoheng is 100 meters long, 0.4-1 meters wide and 0.3-2.5 meters high. A section of the Great Wall south of donggaoheng is 1170 long, 9.5-20 wide and 1-2m high. A section of the Great Wall to the south of dangjiayao is 110 meters long. The Great Wall in the northwest of dangzhou village is 115 meters long, 3.5 meters wide and 1.85 meters high. The rammed earth of daliwei Great Wall is yellow, hard, and the rammed layer is 4-7 cm. The diameter of tamping pit is 5-7 cm. The great wall of Wei in Dali is regular in shape and slightly straight in North and South based on terrain conditions.

Ruins of the Great Wall

Most of the relics of the great wall of the Wei Dynasty in Huayin are preserved on the ground. Twelve of them are preserved on the ground. The longest one is 700 meters, the widest one is about 20 meters, and the highest one is about 18 meters. For example, a section of the great wall of Wei Dynasty, 500 meters long, 21.6 meters wide and 14.1 meters high, was found in the northwest of CHAOYUANDONG. A section of the Great Wall 180 meters long, 20 meters wide and 2.6 meters high was found in the northwest of Nandong village. In the north of beidong village, there is a section of the Great Wall, 100 meters long, 15 meters wide and 16 meters high. Hongya village has a section of the Great Wall, 700 long, 18 wide and 2.2 meters high. To the north of Dangye is a section of the great wall of Wei Dynasty, which is 550 meters long, 6 meters wide and 18 meters high. This section of the Great Wall is well preserved and slightly straight from north to south.

To the north of xiguanbao is a section of the Great Wall, 700 meters long, 16 meters wide and 8 meters high. There is a section of the great wall of Wei Dynasty in the southeast of fengxiangcheng, which is 5oom long, 1.92-2.35m wide and 3.8m high. In addition, due to excavation and river erosion in a few places, there are no traces of the great wall underground.

Especially from the north of fengxiangcheng to the Weihe River, the terrain is very low, all of them are beaches, and there is no trace of the great wall underground. It is inferred that there is the great wall of Wei in the east of fengxiangcheng to the Weihe River.

According to the survey, the starting point of the great wall of the Wei Dynasty in Huayin is at the foot of Huashan Mountain, about 150 meters southeast of Chaoyuan cave. To the East is Changjian river. Rammed earth is built on the raw soil about 5 meters away from the surface of the earth. It is inferred that the great wall of the Wei Dynasty is formed by using the higher topography of the foot of the mountain. The great wall of Huayin Wei Dynasty extends northward along the winding Changjian river. With the turning of the river, the radian of the Great Wall is larger, and some are slightly straight.

Site protection

The protection project of Huayin section of the Great Wall site of Wei Dynasty

Chinese PinYin : Wei Zhang Cheng Yi Zhi