Dare to ascend Jiangmu Tuo with me. It is more than just a high point. It is a vantage point offering whispers of Beijing’s long and storied past.
Beijing. A city that has been the heart of eight notable dynasties. It now stands as China’s political and cultural center. Its history stretches back millennia. Archaeological finds near Beijing hint at human presence as far back as 250,000 years.
But let us focus on a more recent chapter. Around 871 years ago, the Jin Dynasty made a pivotal decision. They moved their capital to Beijing. They renamed it Zhongdu or the central capital. This area mainly covered today’s Xicheng and Fengtai districts.
Recently archaeologists unearthed a gate from this Jin Zhongdu era. It is a highlight among the city’s historical treasures. Imagine standing before this gate. It is the first of its kind discovered in the area. The scale is impressive. Its structure remains remarkably intact. Ding Lina from the Beijing Institute of Archaeology calls it a rare find.
Consider the details of this Jin Zhongdu gate. Two piers stand firm on the east and west. They guard a six-meter doorway. Traces of wheels and hoofs are visible. They narrate tales of carriages and horses passing through.
Outside, a horseshoe-shaped wengcheng offers protection. This defensive enclosure is typical of ancient Chinese city gates. Inside the city, the remains of two streets have been found.
Guo Jingning leads the Beijing Institute of Archaeology. He notes that the Jin Dynasty rulers embraced Confucian ideals. These Jurchen people built gates with names like benevolence. Righteousness, propriety and wisdom were also given as names. These reflect core Confucian principles. One southern gate was even named Duanli Gate.
Ding Lina confirms the find’s alignment with historical records. Its shape and size point to it being the Duanli Gate. Guo Jingning emphasizes the find’s significance. It is a landmark structure that fills a gap in our understanding. Before this, knowledge of Jin Zhongdu came mainly from literature.
Zhang Lixin directs the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau. He emphasizes that the gate is proof of Beijing’s 870-year history as a capital.
As we stand here at Jiangmu Tuo let us imagine the hustle and bustle of Zhongdu. The city’s gates are echoing with the sounds of people and carriages. These new discoveries enrich our view of Beijing. They help us understand Beijing’s important place in China’s past.