Guangzong County 广宗县

Setting and landscape

The county is long and narrow: 50.9 km at its greatest north–south extent and only 17.3 km east to west. Nangong (南宫) lies to the north, Qiu County (邱县) to the south, Wei County (威县) to the east, Pingxiang (平乡) to the west and Julu (巨鹿) to the north-west. The county seat is Guangzong town (广宗镇).

History

The name Guangzong first appears in April of AD 2, when Emperor Ping of the Western Han created a Guangzong state to "broaden the ancestral temple of the Han house". A county of that name was carved out of Julu commandery in AD 83, and after centuries under other names (Zongcheng under the Sui and Song, Zongzhou under the Tang) Guangzong County was restored in 1255 under the Mongol Yuan and has kept the name since.

The county government places a Shang capital here: it says King Zu Yi (祖乙) moved his court to Dapingtai (大平台) in the 14th century BC. Two famous deaths belong to the Shaqiu site. In 295 BC King Wuling of Zhao (赵武灵王) was besieged there by troops sent by King Huiwen and died, and in 210 BC Qin Shi Huang died there while touring his empire. During the war against Japan Guangzong was the capital of the Communist-led South Hebei (冀南) region, hosting its party committee, administrative office, military region, the South Hebei Daily and the South Hebei Bank.

What to see

The Shaqiu Pingtai site (沙丘平台遗址) in Dapingtai is a Hebei provincial protected site, listed on 7 February 2001 and dated from the Shang to the Qin. Chinese Wikipedia describes a sand mound 150 m long and 70 m wide south of Pingtai village where local people have picked up pieces of ancient pottery and bronze fittings.

Food and local products

Three traditions from Guangzong are on the national intangible heritage list: Meihua boxing (梅花拳), Taiping Dao music (太平道乐) and wicker weaving (柳编). The county government says Taiping Dao music preserves Shang court ritual music handed down by Taiping Dao followers, and Guangzong is known as the "home of Meihua boxing in Hebei". In the Ming dynasty Shaqiu purple jujubes (沙丘紫枣) and Shaqiu yali pears (沙丘鸭梨) were sent to court as tribute.

Getting oriented

The Xingtai–Linqing Expressway (邢临高速) and the Handan–Huanghua Railway (邯黄铁路) cross the county, and National Highway 340 passes through.

Highlights

• Shaqiu Pingtai site 沙丘平台遗址: Provincial protected site (2001), Shang to Qin; where King Wuling of Zhao and Qin Shi Huang died.
• Taiping Dao music 太平道乐: National intangible heritage; described by the county as Shang court ritual music passed down by Taiping Dao followers.
• Meihua boxing 梅花拳: National intangible heritage; Guangzong is called Hebei's home of Meihua boxing.
• Shaqiu purple jujubes 沙丘紫枣: Sent to court as tribute in the Ming dynasty.