Wensheng District 文圣区

Setting and landscape

Twelve rivers cross the district, among them the Taizi, the Tang (汤河) and the Mafeng (马峰河). Limestone deposits lie around Xiaotun (小屯镇) and at Baojing and Qipan mountains (宝镜山, 棋盘山) in Luodatai (罗大台镇). Five river bridges link the old and new parts of the city; the province decided in 2008 to develop the east side of the Taizi as the Hedong New Town.

The present district dates from 1 January 2012, when Liaoyang redrew its boundaries: Wensheng's old-city streets went to Baita (白塔区), and the new Wensheng was assembled from Dongjingling township (from Taizihe), Luodatai (from Dengta), Xiaotun (from Liaoyang County) and Qingyang (庆阳). The Hexi area of Hedong New Town was added in 2020.

What to see

Wensheng holds three national key protected sites. Dongjing City (东京城) is the capital Nurhaci (努尔哈赤) built when he made Liaoyang his seat. Dongjingling (东京陵), on Yanglu Hill (阳鲁山), is where Nurhaci reburied his ancestors in 1624; his grandfather, father and others were moved back to Xinbin (新宾) in 1658, and four tomb compounds remain, of his brother Šurhaci (舒尔哈齐), his eldest son Cuyen (褚英), his half-brother Murhaci (穆尔哈齐) and Murhaci's son Darcha (大尔差). Šurhaci's, 82 m long, is the largest and keeps a stele pavilion with an imperial inscription of 1654. The tombs became a national site in 2013.

The Jiangguan kiln site (冮官窑址) at Jiangguantun, about 30 km north-east of central Liaoyang along the Taizi River, is described by People's Daily Online as the "Jingdezhen of the Northeast" in the Liao and Jin periods; a privately built Jiangguan kiln museum has opened, pairing museum visits with pottery-making. Taizi Island (太子岛), said to be the retreat of Prince Dan of Yan (燕太子丹) in the Warring States period, draws photographers to its rime ice in winter and has a campervan site. Luozu Cave (罗祖洞) was one of the Eight Views of Liaoyang in the Ming.

Getting oriented

The district government puts Shenyang Taoxian Airport 42 km away and Yingkou port 120 km.

Highlights

• Dongjingling 东京陵: Later Jin tombs of Nurhaci's kin on Yanglu Hill; national site since 2013.
• Dongjing City 东京城: Capital built by Nurhaci when he made Liaoyang his seat; national key protected site.
• Jiangguan kiln site 冮官窑址: Liao–Jin kilns on the Taizi River; national key protected site.
• Taizi Island 太子岛: Linked with Prince Dan of Yan; known for winter rime ice.