Jiaohe Ancient City (交河古城) was built from the 2nd century BC to 5th century AD by Cheshi people (车师人) who had some ethnic connection to the Europeans. It was also the imperial palace location in the Han Dynasty and one of the famous cities located along the Silk Road.
Several million years ago, the just 6-meter-wide Yaernaizi River was flowing very fast with tremendous flowage. It washed the earth away and this had been happened for a fairly long time. Therefore, the dried valley, or the riverbed, is so deep by erosion. Jiaohe Ancient City was built on an "island" in the middle of the valley over two thousand years ago.
The original layouts of the city such as streets, Buddhist monasteries, Buddhist pagodas, official buildings, residential houses, factories, military garrisons and cemeteries are well preserved and in good conditions. The buildings here were constructed by ramming boards, therefore the architecture looks like that in Xian
, the ancient Chinese capital.
The preserved old conditions are owing to the harsh climate here, because it is always dry and almost without rain throughout the year. It is the best environment for the ramming boards.
Posted on Nov 30, 2009 by Winny