Abstract

Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty：Report on The Excavation from 1998 to 2003 is a research report.The site of Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty is located in the place which is 15 kilometers northwest of the county town of Zhangbei County，Zhangjiakou City，Hebei Province，between Jishan Village，Weijiafang Village and Naoyanzi Village in Mantouying Township.From 1998 to 2003，the Institute of Cultural Relics of Hebei Province，formed jointly an archaeological team with the departments of cultural relics in Zhangjiakou City and Zhangbei County，carried out archaeological survey and excavation in Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty site.The outer walls were dissected by 5 exploratory trenches.The five sites，which were the stylobate of southwest watchtower of Palace City，the No.1 Palace site，south gate，the No.1 drainage culvert and the south gate of Imperial City were explored.In addition，our archaeological survey shows that Naoyanzi site，Langweishan site，the Heichengzi city site，Xindiwan site，and Ma'anqiao cemetery may be associated with Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty.

Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty had triple walls of Palace City，Imperial City and outer city.There were two walls which were between the three sides of the east，north and west of the palace and the wall of the Imperial City separated the city space.In the triple city，54 sites which have been founded could be construction remains.In Imperial City，every building as the No.1 palace a center distributed symmetrically in both sides of the north and south axis.The stylobate of southwest watchtower of Palace City was connected with city wall after three times shrinking from east and north.The foundation trench，ram and earth station were excavated firstly，and then the brick wall was packaged outside，the big stone named soil stone lining was paved in the bottom of brick wall.A big stone named corner post was erected in every outer corner of stylobate.The pin hole which was left when the watchtower was built and the scaffold was built up on the ground.City wall was tamper built directly on the ground，and the foot parts on both sides of walls formed a protective slope by padding earth and ramming to protect.

There were two layers stylobates in No.1 palace site of Palace City.It shaped as Chinese character“tu”in plane.From south to north，the platform，front hall，colonnade，back hall，east clip chamber，west clip chamber and pavilion of the fragrance constituted No.l palace site of Palace City.The lower stylobate broadened out and became a platform.There was an east-west way on the south of stylobate.There were seven ways in all leading to the stylobate.Quadrel with different emblazonry and rectangle bricks were adopted in different ways.Stylobate was 101.1 meters long from north to south and 49.2 meters wide.Under the stylobate，a large pit was filled with rammed earth mixed with stones.There was a rectangle side hall of the palace site which was 9.6 meters wide from east to west and 49.2 meters long from north to south respectively on the both sides of north-east and north-west.In stylobate peripheral，it might be the remains of the hall walls discovered by drilling.

The south gate of Imperial City included two Que stations，two piers and abutments，two partition walls，three gateways，rectangle square and horse roads on both sides of east and west and other structures.The gate was 87.68 meters long from west to east.The doorway ground was paved by stones.The east，middle，west door ways were respectively wide 5.1 meters，5.93 meters and 5.03 meters，18.4 meters deep.Inside the partition was rammed earth and both ends were built by bricks.The walls of piers and abutments and Que stations and the walls between them were built by brick bags.In every outer corner，there was big stone named corner post.Brick walls and stone surface were brushed by lime.Rectangle square was surrounded by red walls.There were gates on the east，west and north side.The way paved by bricks in the north gate faced toward No.1 palace.The south gate should be woodiness frame and ancient system.(https://www.daowen.com)

Drainage culvert of No.1 palace was built by large stones，penetrating rammed earth wall from northsouth direction.It was made up of pitching，east and west walls，top，two steal bars，and was through 12.7 meters long.Its inner diameter was nearly square and the height and width were around 1.18 meters to 1.3 meters.The two steel bars consisted of iron bars which the length of a side was 0.06 meters respectively.

Three doorways constituted the south gate of Imperial City.There was a door pillow stone on both sides of abutment of every doorway and the top of the partition.The number of the door pillow stone was six.There were two rectangle large stones which distributed symmetrically on both north and south sides of every door pillow stone as supporting pole plinth obliquely supporting the stand column.The supporting pole plinths amounted to 12.There was a door-stopping stone which was blocking the door leaf when the door was closed in the middle of every doorway.Abutment and partition were built by bricks and the surface of the bottom was covered by a layer of lime and the upper may be put red-grey wall skin.The whole gate was 30.9 meters long from east to west.The west，middle and east door ways of the gate were respectively 5.3 meters，6.2 meters and 5.1 meters wide and 1.2 meters deep.

A large number of significant cultural relics were excavated：white marble head of dragon，corner column with dragon design，plinth with lotus design，colored glaze eaves tile with dragon design，Di Shui colored glaze eaves tile with dragon design，colored glaze beast，Magic Cube with Arabia Digital and so on.

The primary results of the archaeological work in Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty：the geographical environment and historical background were preliminarily understood，Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty specific site was located，and the basic features of some important constructions were uncovered.The city's overall layout tended to be clear；Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty was proven to be a capital with triple walls；it provided valuable information for researching the evolution of capital system in Yuan Dynasty.A large of fine cultural relics were rare not only physical material of studying the capital system of Yuan Dynasty，architectural features and the technological level，but also were significant to research the transportation，rise and fall processes at that time.In the aspect of theory，the comparative study of the four capitals made gratifying progress.The historical events related to Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty got detailed argument.The thinking and preservation of cultural relics'projects are gradually going into deep.The necessity，feasibility，work ideas and main objectives and tasks of displaying and carrying out archaeological research.

In brief，this book is comprehensive report of the archaeological achievements in Zhongdu site in Yuan Dynasty at the former stage.It published detailed information，explored mystery of the history，and provided strong to evidence quell the controversy.It provided quite sufficient data of researching the layout，construction process and the capital system on Zhongdu in Yuan Dynasty.At the same time，it provided a basis of the next step of archaeological work planning and laid a foundation of further study of science in an orderly way and the conservation of great ruins in the future.