The ruins of the capital of Yuanzhong. Photo by Hebei Daily reporter Gong Zhenglong In April, the land of Zhangyuan ushered in a spring tourism boom, and tourists from all over the world indulged in the customs of Saiwaiba
Linger in the Yuanzhongdu National Archaeological Site Park and immerse yourself in the Yuanzhongdu Museum
"A central capital city, half of the history of the Yuan Dynasty"
And unveiling this corner of the vast history is a "grassroots scholar" named Yin Zixian, who is a "living map" of history and culture in the eyes of the local people in Zhangbei Yin Zixian
Yin Zixian (second from left) introduces the monuments to tourists. On April 9, the bookcase in the small bedroom where Mr. Yin Ziqian lived in Longteng Community, Zhangbei County, was full of historical and cultural books, many yellowed pages were full of red handwriting, and there were many annotated paper marks in the book, and an infusion stand was placed next to the desk, "My father's health became worse and worse, and he often flipped through the materials while infusion," the old man's son Yin Kewei said with tears that since the old man's death on December 7, 2023, this bedroom has basically remained in its original state, leaving infinite thoughts
He is an old man who has experienced legends
He is a scholar of local history and culture, and his rigorous analysis, ardent truth-seeking, and pragmatic exploration style of scholarship have made everyone who knows him and many people in the industry secretly admire and sincerely admire
In the 70s of the 20th century, Yin Zixian, a private teacher in Youlianggou Middle School in Zhangbei County, liked to read literature and history books, liked to visit cultural relics and historic sites, and in a small talk, the landlord Uncle Sun mentioned the "Baichengzi" in Mantouying Township, which stimulated Yin Zixian's interest
The remnants of the earthen wall of the Yuanzhong capital site. Photo by Hebei Daily reporter Gong Zhenglong In the summer of 1980, Yin Zixian, who was already a Chinese teacher at Zhangbei No. 1 Middle School, thought of Bai Chengzi again, so he rode a bicycle into the vast wilderness, which was the first time he stood in front of the deserted ruins
The remains of a four- or five-meter-high castle wall on the ground
In the depths of the city site, there is a huge platform more than two meters above the ground, and on the high platform covered with wild grass, there are several pillars and foundation stones of grinding fans and the remains of beautifully carved white marble, as well as glazed tiles and fragments of dripping eaves decorated with colorful patterns...... At that time, in the southwest of Baichengzi Village, Mantouying Township, Zhangbei County, the ruins commonly known as "Baichengzi" still had the sign of "North Yangcheng", which belonged to the county-level cultural relics protection unit and was preparing to apply for provincial cultural protection
Yin Zixian stroked the golden silk nan wood chips he had just picked up, and couldn't help but wonder: "North Yangcheng is a livestock trading place, how can it be so magnificent, how can the building components be so high-end?"
thereafter
Yin Zixian visited this ruin many times, and constantly read the "Koubei Three Halls", "Chahar Province Tongzhi", "Liao History", "Jin History" and other materials, he came up with a bold idea - Baichengzi, is it the Yuan Zhongdu that has been lost in the dust of history?
On February 22, 1982, the fourth page of Zhangjiakou Daily published a short article written by Yin Zixian "Baichengzi in the Central Capital of the Yuan Dynasty". Photo by Hebei Daily reporter Gong Zhenglong in early 1982
Yin Zixian wrote the article "Baichengzi in the Middle Capital of the Yuan Dynasty", which was published in the "Local Chronicles" column of the fourth edition of the "Zhangjiakou Daily" on February 22 of that year, in order to further understand the establishment of the capital of the Yuan Dynasty and its evolution, he rode a bicycle to visit the ruins of the Yuan Shangdu in Xilin Gol, Inner Mongolia
He was sure of the conjecture that Bai Chengzi was Yuan Zhongdu
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the first "Zhangbei County Chronicles" was published in May 1994, which included the article "Baichengzi Said--Edited 'Koubei Santing Chronicles', 'Chahar Province Tongzhi' and 'Zhangbei County Chronicles'". Photo by Hebei Daily reporter Gong Zhenglong in the summer of 1987
Yin Zixian was transferred to the office of the Zhangbei County Local Chronicles Compilation Committee as the editor-in-chief of the "Zhangbei County Chronicles", during which he wrote a weighty article "Baichengzi Said", which was published in the second issue of "Hebei Local Chronicles" in 1987 and then included in the "Zhangbei County Chronicles" published by China Social Sciences Press in 1994.
From Yin Zixian's persistent pursuit of the ruins of the Yuanzhong capital
Then to the investigation and participation of provincial cultural relics workers, until the attention of relevant national departments, the joint efforts of the society and many parties jointly promoted the confirmation of the Yuanzhongdu ruins at the end of the 20th century and the real arrival of the Yuanzhongdu archaeology, and the Yuanzhongdu ruins not only became the first capital archaeology carried out in Hebei Province on the dam, but also the first officially listed national archaeological site park in Hebei Province
In an archaeological excavation in 2022, the dragon pattern dripping water unearthed from the site of Yuanzhongdu. Courtesy of Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology During archaeological excavations that have lasted for many years
Yin Zixian often visited the site and became friends with many archaeologists, after retirement, he was not idle, Zhangbei County to build the Yuanzhong Museum, Mr. Yin actively participated in the busy work for several years, after the museum was built, he often served as a guide, to the tourists enthusiastically told the history of Zhangbei and the story of the Yuanzhongdu, and also regularly trained the docents
On May 13, 2022, Yin Zixian was looking through historical materials at home. "Discovered Yuan Zhongdu, by chance, I was just a local trying to clear up the fog of history, and there was no Yin Zixian, there would be others - this is the result of the era of cultural revival in the mainland" Yin Zixian once modestly said that he was "caused by chance, interest, and halfway to become a monk"
After many years of repair by ancient construction experts, the ruins of the capital of Yuanzhong. Courtesy of Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Ancient Architecture for more than 40 years
He has successively published more than 20 papers related to the history and culture of the dam, mainly including "The Exploration of the Animal Husbandry on the Dam", "A Preliminary Study of Heigu Road in the Yuan Dynasty", "The Identification of the Former Site of Chahan Naoer Palace and Ming'an Station in the Yuan Dynasty", and other articles
The rivers and mountains have left traces of victory, and our generation is looking forward to new discoveries and new cognitions of those heavy historical and cultural resources on the land of Zhangyuan
Source: Hebei Daily
Typesetting: Zhangjiakou Cultural Tourism
Note: Infringement contact deleted