Zhen'an District 振安区

History

In 108 BC Emperor Wu of Han set up Xi'anping County (西安平县) here, which the district government calls the earliest county town on China's eastern border. From 991 onward the Khitan, Jurchen, Mongols and the Ming each built a walled town on the same site at Jiuliancheng (九连城), so the district government calls it a town of five dynasties and a noted frontier fortress. Its name comes from the remains of nine forts built there over the centuries. At Mashi village (马市村) the Zhongjiangtai (中江台) market handled Chinese-Korean border trade from the Yuan dynasty on, and the district was a main land battlefield of the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.

The Jiangyantai fort (江沿台堡) is a national protected site, and some 40 others, including the Jiuliancheng and Aihejian (爱河尖) walled-town sites and the Yalu pontoon bridge, are protected by Liaoning province. The site where the Chinese People's Volunteers crossed the Yalu during the Korean War is also in the district.

What to see

Wulong Mountain (五龙山), a provincial scenic area, has more than 90 peaks, with its main peak at 708.5 metres; it is named for five deep gullies that run from foot to top and look like dragons when the rain season floods them. The district also lists Lingfeng Temple (灵峰禅寺) among its sights. On the mountain's west side, Wulongbei (五龙背镇) has hot springs whose main spring reaches 72°C, with a history of more than 1,300 years; the town was rated a national 4A tourist area in 2004. Along the Yalu, Mashi Island (马市岛) is one of ten islands in the district's stretch of the river.

Food and local products

Jiuliancheng farms grow "Aihe green" (叆河青) fruit radishes, gift watermelons on Mashi Island, hardy kiwi, blueberries and sweet potatoes.

Highlights

• Jiuliancheng 九连城: Walled-town site built over by Khitan, Jurchen, Mongol and Ming rulers from 991.
• Jiangyantai fort 江沿台堡: National protected site.
• Wulong Mountain 五龙山: Provincial scenic area named for five dragon-like gullies; main peak 708.5 metres.
• Wulongbei hot springs 五龙背镇: Main spring reaches 72°C; history of more than 1,300 years.