Zhaoyuan County 肇源县

Setting and landscape

The county government sums up its landscape as wide rivers and open skies, with plentiful water and good grassland. To the north it meets Datong District (大同区) and Zhaozhou County (肇州县), to the north-west the Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County (杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县), and to the east the city of Suihua (绥化).

History

The county government claims 6,500 years of history for the area. It describes Zhaoyuan as part of the Liao and Jin heartland, as the home of the Liao empress Qitian (齐天皇后), and as a place where Wanyan Aguda (完颜阿骨打), founder of the Jin dynasty, laid the groundwork for his rule. In 1935 the Gorlos Rear Banner moved its office to Zhaoyuan town. On 11 April 1956 the State Council approved renaming the banner Zhaoyuan County, and in 1992 the county was placed under Daqing.

What to see

Two archaeological sites in the county are on the national list of major protected historical sites. The Baijinbao site (白金宝遗址) stands on the second terrace above the left bank of the Nen, at Baijinbao hamlet in Minyi township (民意乡). It was found in 1974, and more than 1,300 square metres have been excavated. Digs uncovered semi-sunken house floors and pottery, including ding tripods, and Chinese Wikipedia dates the culture to between the late Shang and the middle Western Zhou. Animal designs on the pots show some influence from the Central Plains. The Xiaolaha site (小拉哈遗址) spans the Neolithic to the Warring States period.

Highlights

• Baijinbao site 白金宝遗址: Bronze Age settlement on a terrace of the Nen River, found in 1974; on the national list of major protected sites.
• Xiaolaha site 小拉哈遗址: Archaeological site from the Neolithic to the Warring States period, on the national list.