During the Western Han Dynasty, Shenyang was called "Houcheng", which was the beginning of Shenyang's city construction and has a history of more than 2,600 years.
Outside the north wall of the Shenyang Forbidden City is where the "Houcheng" ruins were discovered in 1993. Through archaeologists' research and investigation, the roughly outlined scope of Houcheng began here.
What changes have occurred in Shenyang since the city was founded? When can people see the "Hucheng" ruins? Yesterday, reporters began to search for "Houcheng".
Relevant experts can determine the approximate location of the "Houcheng" site, but the excavation work has not been carried out, and the specific location still needs to be determined. According to records, Houcheng can be traced back to the starting point of Shenyang's city construction, but at that time it was only a military garrison. The area of ??Hou City is not large, with four walls, each several hundred meters long, and they are all made of earth.
The "Houcheng" site was first discovered in 1993
Houcheng in the Han Dynasty was the earliest name given to Shenyang. It belonged to Liaodong County in the Western Han Dynasty. Archaeological experts first discovered the Houcheng site in 1993. At that time, archaeologists discovered the Houcheng ruins outside the north wall of the Forbidden City in Shenyang.
An archaeological expert who has visited the excavation site said that the site discovered at that time ran from east to west, with a length of more than 170 meters, and the height of the remains was more than 2 meters. Experts verified that this was the north wall of Hou City, which was built in the late Warring States Period. , there are many cord-patterned bricks and tiles on the surface, as well as many fragments of sand-filled red pottery utensils, coins and other items.
The ruins of the city wall discovered that year were not destroyed, and there are remains of the moat next to it. Shenyang folklorist Qi Shoucheng said that Houcheng was just a simple city. It gradually took shape due to the presence of the army, and then the city was built here.
The ruins of the city wall are expected to be seen by people
Through the research and investigation of archaeologists, the scope of the city can be roughly outlined - starting from the outside of the north wall of the Shenyang Forbidden City and moving towards Extending to the south, from Zhengyang Street to Chaoyang Street, the Shenyang Forbidden City and the Shenhe Public Security Bureau are both within the city. However, this is only a roughly determined range, and the specific location can only be determined through further investigation and research.
With the implementation of the Fangcheng reconstruction plan, the Houcheng ruins that have been "sleeping" for many years are expected to be seen in their natural and original state. Through the Houcheng ruins in the large glass cover, more people can learn about Shenyang 2,600 years ago. Relevant experts said that the changes in the soil layers of the sites excavated back then were very obvious. Each soil layer had changes. These changes in the soil layer can show the changes in history.
Public opinion: Looking forward to seeing the "Houcheng" ruins
Teacher Sun Xiaoyu: Shenyang is a city with rich cultural heritage. When excavating the ruins, we must protect the original cultural relics. , hoping to see more original ecological ruins and monuments.
Tour guide Zhao Jia: In fact, in addition to the Forbidden City and Zhang's Mansion, there are many ancient buildings worth visiting in the Fangcheng area. When the "Hucheng" ruins meet everyone, I will definitely be the first Time to introduce it to my visitors. According to historical records, Cao Zhi, the son of Cao Cao, the prime minister of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was once the Marquis of Anxiang, and the land he entrusted was today's Houcheng Village in the north of Jinzhou City, Hebei Province. In November 1947, Zhu De was stationed in Houcheng, Jin County, and commanded the battle to liberate Shimen. He summarized his experience in the battle and wrote the seven-line "Conquering Shimen". Cao Zhi was demoted to Anxiang and held a fiefdom in Houcheng, Jinzhou? Experts will excavate to find evidence (photo)
Experts from the provincial and municipal cultural relics departments inspected the remaining earthen city wall in Houcheng Village.
Visited the elderly in Houcheng Village.
In 221 AD, Cao Zhi was demoted to the title of Marquis of Anxiang. "The location of his Anxiang is today's Houcheng Village in Jinzhou." Recently, this conclusion made by Liang Yong, an expert in literature and history, shocked the academic community. . Wuji literature and history experts were the first to refute, saying that Anxiang was Wuji's Ancheng. The historical records were well-founded and there was no doubt about it. Yesterday, seven or eight experts from the provincial and municipal cultural relics departments rushed to Houcheng for inspection and found that Houcheng Village is of great value for discovery. Next, they will dig underground in Houcheng. Once the cultural relics of the corresponding era are dug out, they will echo and confirm Liang Yong's conclusion.
Origin
Amateur scholars propose to find out the location of Cao Zhi's Anxiang
Where is Cao Zhi's "real body" after he was demoted to Anxiang? The answer has been gathering dust in historians for a long time.
A few days ago, Zhang Guolai, a Houcheng native who likes literature and history, reported to Liang Yong that he checked various materials and found that his hometown, Houcheng Village, was a Hou Guocheng in ancient times, and it was most likely the Anxiang where Cao Zhi was demoted.
Zhang Guolai also said that Cao Zhi was a great writer, and he was demoted to the title of Marquis of Anxiang.
If we find out the location where Cao Zhi was demoted, it will be of great significance to the study of Cao Zhi's literary works.
Zhang Guolai told reporters that regardless of whether Cao Zhi was demoted in Houcheng or not, he also hopes that the details of Cao Zhi's demotion will be revealed to restore the historical truth.
As an expert in literature and history, Liang Yong feels that Zhang Guolai’s statement is reasonable. Recently, he carefully checked the information and finally discovered that the place where Cao Zhi was demoted was in Jinzhou Houcheng.
He said that he only confirmed it through documents. If the issue is to be fully understood, further research by the cultural relics department is needed.
Confrontation
Ancheng said: Wuji Ancheng once had Cao Zhi's "grave"
Cao Zhi was demoted to Anxiang, which was a fiefdom of a township. Mr. Zhou Liang, a famous scholar of Wei and Jin history, believed in "Notes on the Three Kingdoms": Cao Zhi was demoted to Anxiang, which was only a symbolic title, not a definite township. But in local chronicles, everyone insists on his own story. So where is Anxiang? There are mainly two opinions.
“When I was in elementary school, my Chinese teacher said that Cao Zhi was demoted to Anxiang Marquis, and his fiefdom was in Ancheng.” Mr. Zhao of Ancheng Village, Wuji County said that there are many legends about Cao Zhi and Concubine Zhen in the village. .
Chang is in the same group and is over 70 years old. His hometown is in Wujigao Village, 2.5 kilometers away from Ancheng. "There is also a big earthen pagoda in the southeast of Gao Village. When I was a child, I heard the old people say that it was a geomantic treasure land that no one could touch. Cao Zhi was buried inside. In the early years of the Republic of China, there was also Cao Zhi's tombstone, but I don't know where it was later found. Gone." Chang Tongqun said that Cao Zhi was demoted to Anxiang Hou. "Wuji County Chronicle" records that Anxiang City is 3 kilometers south of today's county, and the site is the modern Ancheng Village. "Wuji County Chronicle" also said that before the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), there was an octagonal Cao Zhi stele in the east cemetery of the village, made of white marble, but it no longer exists today.
Jin Gensuo, head of the Wuji County Chronicle Office, said: "The records in the Wuji County Chronicle are correct. Cao Zhi was demoted to the title of Marquis of Anxiang, and Ancheng was the seat of Anxiang.
Cao Zhi was demoted. As the Marquis of Anxiang, he did not come to Ancheng to take office, but his fiefdom was in Ancheng. Therefore, after Cao Zhi's death, people in Ancheng built a tomb of Cao Zhi in Ancheng.
This tomb is recorded in historical records. Obviously, it was not something that was casually established by later generations of literati. Because Cao Zhi did not come to Ancheng to take office, Cao Rui later granted Ancheng to his grandfather Zhen Yi, and Zhen Yi became the Marquis of Anxiang. There is a connection."
Zhao Bin, chairman of the Wuji County Writers Association, has done a lot of research on the history of the Zhen family.
He believes, "It is a good thing that Teacher Liang Yong raised this issue. But the opinion is just a family opinion. Wuji literature and history enthusiasts will do some research and will immediately express their own opinions."
Hucheng said: "Ancheng is Anxiang" is a rumor.
Liang Yong does not agree with the statement that "Ancheng is Anxiang". According to Liang Yong, Qianlong's "Record of the Unification of the Qing Dynasty" records: "The ancient city of Anxiang was located in the east of Jinzhou. The Han Dynasty established a county and belonged to Julu County. In the first year of Jingning, Prince Ai of Zhao was granted the title of Marquis and later Han Province. "It did not say that this is Anxiang, which Cao Zhi demoted.
In the "Historical Atlas of China" and "Three Kingdoms Wei·Jizhou" edited by Mr. Tan Qixiang, the location of Anxiang is marked about 5 kilometers east of present-day Jinzhou, in today's Houcheng Village. The location of Ancheng in Wuji County is marked as Ancheng Township. < /p>
Two views, which one is right and which one is wrong?
"Three Kingdoms Wei Zhi Biography of Empress Wen Zhao" clearly records: After Wei Ming Emperor Cao Rui came to the throne, he was grateful for the unfortunate death of his biological mother and showed great kindness to his grandfather's family. In the first year of Taihe (227), "In March of the year of the first year of Taihe, there were thousands of households in the city and countryside of Weichang in Zhongshan, and (grandfather Zhen) Yi was posthumously granted the title of Marquis Jing, and his grandson (Zhen) was honored as a nobility."
It can be seen that Ancheng in Wuji County has never been Anxiang City, but Ancheng Township. It's just that the historical works since the Tang and Song Dynasties were not rigorous in their research and got the wrong title. The "Unification of the Qing Dynasty" was based on false information and contradicted itself. Perhaps, during the compilation of county annals in Wuji County, Anxiang was attached. There is a fundamental error in the cited literature.
In addition, the "Book of Wei Geography" compiled by Wei Shu, a native of Quyang during the Northern Qi Dynasty, recorded in Weichang County, Zhongshan County: "There is An City" (not An Township). And Quyang in Julu County (i.e. Xiaquyang, today Jinzhou) "has Linping City, Anxiang City, and Quxiang City".
This proves that Ancheng in Wuji is Ancheng Township, and Anxiang in Xiaquyang (now Jinzhou) is the fiefdom of Anxiang Hou.
Liang Yong also said that as early as 220 AD, Cao Pi established himself as emperor and treated the famous counselor Cheng Yu favorably, and was granted the title of Marquis of Anxiang from Anguo Tinghou. Until Cao Wei was usurped by the Sima family, the Cheng family had always been the Anxiang Marquis. Therefore, the only marquis of Anxiang was the Cheng family, while the Wuji Zhen family conferred the title of Marquis of Ancheng.
Since, one year before Cao Zhi was demoted to the title of Marquis of Anxiang, Cao Pi had granted the title of Marquis of Anxiang to Cheng Yu. Therefore, Cao Zhi was demoted to Anxiang Hou, which was just a title and had no actual settlement. Soon after, Cao Zhi was granted the title of Marquis of Juancheng.
Liang Yong introduced that Cao Zhi's demotion to Anxiang was a false title, but Cheng Yu and his descendants inherited the title of Anxiang Marquis for four generations. There must be a marquis city as a symbol of the feudal land.
Therefore, Liang Yong believes that: Jinzhou Houcheng is the fiefdom of the Anxiang Marquis of the Cheng Yu family. For decades, the marquises lived in the town and built the Houcheng. Therefore, the name of Houcheng was left . Ancheng in Wuji County was originally the fiefdom of Liu Xi, the son of King Zhao Ai of the Western Han Dynasty. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Hou State was abolished and included in Hanchang County. During the Cao Wei Period of the Three Kingdoms, it was changed to Weichang County (today's Wuji County). Emperor Wei Ming Cao Rui granted this place of the Wuji Zhen family to his grandfather's family. The title is Anxiang Marquis, which has nothing to do with the Anxiang Marquis that Cao Zhi was demoted to.
Progress
Experts gathered in Houcheng Village to unearth his "true identity"
Yesterday morning, Xie Fei, deputy director of the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, Liu Zhengjun, director of the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau and Liang Yong, an expert in literature and history, and others rushed to Houcheng Village in Jinzhou.
At the home of a village cadre in Houcheng Village, experts chatted with five elderly people in the village. According to the elders, this village has a history of nearly 2,000 years. As early as the 1960s, the earthen city wall in the village was still "still standing".
The city wall was high and wide
At that time, the city wall was square and surrounded the village. "Four streets and four passes, two miles from south to north." , walk two miles from east to west, and you will reach the base of the city wall. "
The city wall is four to five meters high and three feet wide, and a donkey cart can run on it. There are ditches inside and outside the city wall, which are frighteningly deep, and there is water in the ditches.
Unfortunately, most of the city walls and ditches where children once played have been demolished and filled in, and the city walls are also occupied by private houses. The only good thing is that in the northwest corner of the village, there is still a broken city wall, which is no longer tall and has private houses on it. If you don't look carefully, it's hard to spot even the rammed earth among the weeds.
There were once 24 temples
The old people said that when they were very young, the village was very lively during festivals. The most lively place is of course the temple. At that time, there were 24 temples in the village, large and small, and the largest one was Yaowang Temple.
Experts hurriedly asked, are there any stone tablets, statues, etc.? The old people said that not only is there not a single temple left, but even every brick and tile in the temple is hard to find.
The old people said that bricks were dug out when digging wells and pig pens, some with stripes. The expert was surprised, "With stripes? Maybe it's from the Han Dynasty! Are there any that have been preserved?" The old people said that they were all smashed. There are also large and thin washboards made by women, but I don’t know who still has them.
The expert asked, is there anyone named Liu or Cheng in the village? Because Anxiang was once the fiefdom of the royal Liu family and the Cheng Yu family. The old man replied no. Experts are very confused. If this is indeed Anxiang, then there should be Liu and Cheng surnames?
The old people frowned and suddenly remembered: During the Jingnan Rebellion in the Ming Dynasty, killings broke out everywhere, and very few people in the village survived. Today's villagers have all moved here. In this way, it is normal that there are no Liu or Cheng surnames in the village.
The cultural relics department will go to Houcheng to dig and look for "evidences"
At 11:30 yesterday, experts held a meeting. Experts in literature and history said that Anxiang is Houcheng, which has been supported by literature. Li Yong, an expert on literature and history, also said that referring to documentary materials, it can be seen that Anxiang is within the scope of today's Jinzhou. Whether it is located in Houcheng or not needs to be confirmed by cultural relics.
In response, the provincial and municipal cultural relics departments stated that they would send people to Houcheng Village to carry out excavation work as soon as possible. Experts from the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau expressed full confidence in this work, because not far from Houcheng Village, a Han Dynasty tomb was once excavated.
Literature and history experts also said that if relevant Han Dynasty cultural relics are unearthed in Houcheng Village, it will confirm the documentary description of Anxiang in Houcheng and echo Liang Yong's conclusion.
The leaders of the Jinzhou Municipal Party Committee said that they will come up with a plan as soon as possible to cooperate with the cultural relics department in the excavation work. Source Yanzhao Evening News)