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About Chengsijiazi Castles
Its earthworks define a roughly four-sided plan: river channels protected the west and south, while ditches strengthened the other sides. The northern rampart is particularly useful for understanding the site's rammed-earth construction. Excavations have also identified substantial building platforms and Buddhist architectural material, but these discoveries should not be mistaken for a standing castle or an automatically accessible excavation display.
A brick inscription found at the site, reading in translation as a resident of Changchun county, Taizhou, Liu Weitai (系泰州长春县户百姓刘玮泰), has led scholars to identify the site as the Liao dynasty's Changchun prefecture (长春州) and the Jin dynasty's Xintaizhou (新泰州). Under the Liao it was the seat of Shangjing circuit (上京道)'s Changchun prefecture, under the Northeast Route Military Command (东北路统军司), and Liao emperors performed seasonal nabo (捺钵) hunts there several times. The Jin dynasty kept the old name before downgrading it to a county under Zhaozhou (肇州) in Tiande year 2 (1150), then relocating Taizhou there in Cheng'an year 3 (1198).
The site's perimeter measures about 5,748 meters. Its road system is organized around cross-shaped main thoroughfares linking four gates, one on each side, each fronted by a barbican (瓮城). The east and north walls are further protected by an outer moat, while the west and south walls rely on the Tao'er River as a natural defensive barrier. The site was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 2006.
What to look for
- The surviving northern earth rampart and the trace of the city boundary.
- The relationship between the artificial defences and the Tao'er River landscape.
- The north-gate area, where investigation revealed successive phases of construction.
Location & getting there
Getting to Chengsijiazi Castles
Go to the northern side of Gucheng Village (古城村), Deshun Mongol Township, Taobei District, Baicheng.
- Confirm the permitted approach locally and stay on existing paths around the protected earthworks; archaeological working areas may be closed.
Combine your visit
Suggested order within this visit:
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North-wall exterior
Read the surviving earthwork profile from permitted ground.
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North-gate area
Compare the wall line with the interruption at the old gateway.
This sequence is an editorial suggestion based on the features described in the sources. Access to individual buildings or areas should be checked locally; no travel time or shared admission is implied.
Find Chengsijiazi Castles
城四家子城址 · 白城市
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
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View guide →Sources & visit information
The linked encyclopedia sources support background and place descriptions. Current opening hours, ticket prices, booking rules and transport schedules have not been independently verified for this guide. Confirm them with the venue or operator before travelling.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92993491.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "城四家子城址", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 94274837.