Zhangbi ancient village （张壁村）, lying 10km south east from the city of Jiexiu （介休市）, is an ancient multifunctional castle integrating military residential, productive and religious functions into a little known small scale locale. The isolated Castle was built in year 617 at an altitude of 1040 meter above sea level with a total circumference of 1300 meters. Large numbers of ancient streets and buildings are preserved inside its 2000 sq. meter of land, particularly its three layers underground tunnels. The complicated attack and defense system of the tunnels has made Zhangbi Ancient Village a top and rare ancient underground military site in China. Among its many valuable historic relics and monuments gathered in the village, there are also remains dating back to Xia (夏 2070-1600BC) and Shang Dynasty (商 1600-1046BC).
Zhangbi Ancient Town is also known as Zhangbi Ancient Castle. With a thick ground walls surrounded and highlands along both sides of the main street, it is an amazing feat of architecture and engineering.
There are 16 temples that have been preserved through history in this little ancient village. Some are Buddhist, some are Taoist and some are dedicated to many Gods in Chinese folks mythology. Most of them were built along the city wall including Temple of Guandi Miao. Temples are always places to reflect locals' hope for peace and happiness.
Temple of Guan Di Miao （关帝庙） is one of the preserved structure at the site of Zhangbi Village. It was built to worship Guan Yu, a legendary general from Three Kingdom period.
Kehan Temple （可汗王祠） is one of the most precious relics in Zhangbi Ancient Village. It was unknown when was it first established but as it was rebuilt in year 1627 during Ming Dynasty, writing stating restoration year 1314 in Yuan Dynasty was found at its cross beam. The present temple's feature and style was restored in Qing Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Qianlong.
Who is The Kehan was rather disputable but it was believed in the local legend that he is Liu-wuzhou (刘武周），a Henan born person but later migrated to Mayi at Shanxi Province （山西马邑）. He put himself as a King in Sui Dynasty in year 617 and alliance with one of the nomadic group who honored him with a title as Dingyang Kehan. He finally was defeated by Li-shimin, one of the greatest Emperor of Tang Dynasty.
The Theater Stage was a structure from Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368). In addition to its small scale bell and drum tower and a small defensing gate, the village though rather small, was qualified as a city in ancient time.
Underneath the Zhangbi Ancient Village is an amazing underground tunnel network. The hidden underground tunnels are the entire defense system of the Village. The main entrance was opened in an ordinary peasant's house. It was built in year 617 during Sui (581-618) and Tang period (618-907), to defend against Li-Shimin of Tang Dynasty. The 5 meters long tunnels are divided into 3 layers, with top layer of about one meter deep, middle layer about 8-10 meter and bottom layer 17-20 meter below the ground.
We were like entering a labyrinth while walking in the secret tunnels. The average height is only 2 meter. Its passages hide mangers, kilns, caves, wells, grain silos, horse stables, assassination devices, facilities of flood-prevention and wall hole communication. We can see the sky through the patio above from the lowest point of the tunnel which is about 20 meters deep from the ground.
The three layers 5 meters long tunnels, designed and built as a military defense position, are rarely seen of its kind throughout China. The tunnels are able to accommodate 10,000 soldiers and it covers not only the defense facilities but also with attack functions. The tunnels have water irrigation system, emergency exits, hidden connections to 8 out of 11 wells in the castle, and there are throughways from the well at the top direct to the bottom layer of the tunnels. This is the most outstanding ancient military engineering work in China.
We came out from tunnels through these caverns which are hidden inside the deep valley of the thick forested mountains at north and south end of the castle. These caverns serve as a secret entry and exit passage way to and from the tunnels and at the same time as an observatory post. The earth of the surrounding hills is most suitable for the growth of wild big red dates trees.
Inside a small exhibition Hall at the site, there is an ancient Buddhist shrine hall enshrined with a little image of Bodhisattva Guan-shi-yin (Goddess of Mercy) and a wooden plague written with "Rapidly return to your original self"
The ancient castle was constructed in accordance to the Zodiac system setting each structure at its right position, as illustrated.
A view of its territorial landscape and some of the many ancient structures inside the ancient village.
Zhen-Wu Temple complex was restored in year 1808 during Qing Dynasty. It was unknown when was it first established. The Temple was built at north gate as according to zodiac map, Zhen-wu was the administrator for north direction.
Zhen-Wu was actually an Indian prince named Xuan-Wu coming to China to seek for some spiritual true way. His name was altered to Zhen-Wu by Emperor Song-Zhenzhong as he shared the same name with Emperor's ancestor. He went to Taihe-shan Mountain in Hubei, met his teacher and attained his achievement. Mt.Taihe-shan, later changed the name to Mt. Wudang-shan, was the main and most famous Taoist site in China.
The lively wood carving designs at the front cross beam of the shrine hall are gorgeous especially its pair of dragons, vivid and man-live.
These gorgeous building structures are from Ming dynasty.
Roofing of the temple complex were using the tri-color glazed tiles, elegant and outstanding .
Every piece of design on the roof has its own representing meaning.
Deities are at the four corners of the roofs.
The Temple of Kong-Wang-Fo Palace (空王佛行宫） located at the north entrance gate was a structure from Ming Dynasty. The hall enshrines with an image of Empty King Buddha with murals illustrating the legends of how he achieved Buddha hood.
The two glazed Steles erected at the corridor of Kong-Wang-Fo Temple are real treasure beyond value. They are transparent in turquoise blue base with black writings. The top fore part has two dragons with pearl balls in yellow green color and the two edge sides were decorated with blue black dragon vein and flora pattern. Such steles are rarely seen in China, most probably are one and the only one found over the country.
Taoist Temple.
Wandering inside the ancient village.
The primary street in the village is about 300 meter in length paved with stone blocks and bars and the secondary streets has 3 lanes at east and 4 lanes at west side. Small peasants houses are mostly in east end while buildings decorated with more delicate designs for the wealthy people are on the west. The primary street and secondary streets uniquely formed a T-shaped structure without any cross roads in the village. The elegant shops and quaint houses stand along the streets.
Model houses of rich family at the west side of the village.
A tree of two plants. Bigger trunk is Chinese Pagoda tree （槐树） having a history of over thousand years and the smaller trunk is from willow tree （柳树）, aged 50 years. Nobody knows when they started growing together and finally merged into one. The thousand years old Chinese Pagoda tree is the only one left after the 1947 fire. There are altogether 6 of them originally growing along the bank of Lao Pond, a man made pond serves to receive and collect the rain water for the village.
No bustling, no luxurious desire, no wandering mind, no interruptions of cell phone........nothing better then peacefully enjoying a bowl of hot noodle soup under the warm sun in front of own quarter...........!
Common living quarters of the local villagers.
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