????Chinese archaeologists have recently inspected a well-preserved and still inhabited ancient castle in the Aba Tibet and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province.

????There are 98 families of Qiang ethnicity living in this "mysterious orient castle", a name given by domestic and foreign experts. The castle, which was built in 111 B.C. by the Qiang people, one of China's oldest ethnic groups, stands in very good condition even though it went through wars and disasters in more than two thousand years. It is located on the side of a mountain highway linking Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, with Jiuzhaigou??a famous natural resort.

????With its excellent architectural design, the castle is the only well-preserved ancient castle of the Qiang people in the world, the experts agreed.

????The castle was used by the Qiang villagers to defend their homes during times of war?? an expert said. Now??the Qiang people want more outside visitors to view their unique life-style and their stone fortification. The castle has eight gates located in its surrounding walls??indicating the Eight Diagrams formerly used in divination during ancient time. Two 30-meter-high blockhouses located on two corners of the castle overlook the sturdy five-story residential houses??which were made of mud and stone slates 2,000 years ago.

????Thirty-one zigzagged lanes connect each residential house, forming a labyrinth. In the walls besides the lanes??many small holes can be seen. In ancient war times ?? these holes were used for firing against invaders.

????The five stories of the castle's residential houses offer diverse functions. The first story is livestock pen??the second story is the living area with a living room?? bedrooms and kitchen, the third story is used as storeroom or bedroom??the fourth story is grain bleachery??and the fifth story is a worship hall in which white stones are piled forming a religious totem.

????In the castle??an intermittent sound of rushing water can be heard but there is no sign of a river in sight. The sound comes from an underground water circulation system.

????Through an underground culvert??water is directed from the nearby snow-capped mountain towards the castle's comprehensive water supply network for daily-use and for drinking by the Qiang people.

????The water network??which runs underground below the residential houses??can easily be accessed by lifting any flagstone covering the water channel.

????According to an elder resident in the castle??the water channel has many functions including drinking??firefighting??air conditioning and as an anti-war tunnel. "In ancient times??if people here had sufficient food, the castle was very hard to capture even after years of attack??" the old man said.

????In peaceful days now?? the castle has become a tourist attraction??attracting thousands of tourists from home and abroad??said a local tourism official.

????It opened to public five years ago??he said??adding that it receives about 70??000 tourists every year.

????Recently??experts with the United Nations Educational??Scientific and Cultural Organization??UNESCO??noted that the castle is valuable and praised the protection efforts at the site.

????The prefecture will carry out an application for the castle to join the cultural world heritage list.

(Xinhua 11/24/2000)