|
2,000-Year
Old Qiang Castle in Southwest China
|
????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)
|
