Follow Lao Xia to see Zhangbi Castle in Jiexiu.

"Look at Beijing for the scenery of five hundred years, and Shanxi for the scenery of five thousand years." Shanxi's ancient, Shanxi's simplicity, Shanxi's clumsiness, and Shanxi's simplicity have condensed into the soul of Chinese civilization. Zhangbi Ancient Castle is a small pocket town with an area of ​​only 0.12 square kilometers, but it has rich and diverse cultural relics. From the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, the ancient castle has roughly experienced several stages such as dock wall, military town and fortified village. "The unique military defense system, the religious culture that complements Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, the magical astrology culture, and the splendid farming folk culture. Today we chartered a car from Pingyao to Zhangbi Ancient Castle according to the itinerary.

Tickets here are 30 yuan, free for the elderly.

Located in Zhangbi Village, Longfeng Town, Jiexiu City, Shanxi Province, the scenic spot is 10 kilometers away from downtown Jiexiu and the Jiexiu exit of Universiade Expressway. It is adjacent to the famous domestic scenic spots Pingyao Ancient City, Wang Family Courtyard, and Mianshan Tourist Area, and there is a direct tourist line Scenic area. Zhangbi Castle is a rare pocket town in the world. Its area is only 0.12 square kilometers, but it has a complete urban form and a good military defense function. Here is: Guandi Temple.

This is: Guan Yu, the sage of martial arts. Also called: God of Wealth.

General Zhou Cang holds the Qinglong Yanyue Saber.

The young general Guan Ping.

Monk waiting for business. At the gates of temples in Shanxi, fortune-telling and face-to-face are popular.

The castle wall is 1,300 meters long and covers an area of ​​120,000 square meters. Near the north and south gates of the fort, there is a religious building complex, such as the Emperor Temple, Kehan ​​Temple, Kongwangxing Temple, Erlang Temple, etc. On both sides of "Hongshun Street", a main street made of red stone masonry in the fort, there are seven deep ancient alleys scattered in a patchwork manner.

Our groupmates: Teacher Chen and Teacher Wu are showing their affection. I took a photo casually: the stone under my feet represents the historical years, the couple have been loving each other for decades, and they will hold hands for a lifetime. . . . .

Most experts presume that Zhangbi Ancient Castle was built in the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms. It is one of the many dock walls built by Zhao Haoqiang and Zhang Ping. It has a history of more than 1,600 years.

The entire castle was built along the plateau, high in the south and low in the north. Looking down from the north of the fort, there is a deep ditch extending downwards on the left, middle, and right. The west of the fort is Yaowan ditch with steep cliffs and steep slopes, reaching tens of feet deep. Mianshan can be described as "easy to defend but difficult to attack, and there is a way to retreat". The castle is surrounded by a rammed fort wall about 10 meters high, which stands tall after thousands of years of vicissitudes.

The ancient castle has only two gates, the north and the south. Hongshun Street (main street) connects the north and south gates and is less than 300 meters long. There are 3 alleys in the east of the street and 4 alleys in the west of the street. There is an urn city inside the North Fort Gate, the South Fort Gate is built with stones, and a gate tower is built on the Fort Gate.

There are elegant shops and simple dwellings on both sides of the main street; the glazed roofs of the north and south temples are resplendent; the ancient tombs of the Jin Dynasty, the ancient locust trees holding willows, and the rare glazed steles.

The ancient castle is 1020 meters above sea level, with ravines on three sides and mountains on one side. The terrain is dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack. There is an ancient tunnel with a length of about 10,000 meters, three floors up and down, and both offensive and defensive functions. Zhangbi Ancient Castle integrates ancient castle tunnels, palaces and temples, military religion, folk history, and astrological culture.

There are small pits at intervals on the wall of the tunnel, at different distances, where oil lamps are placed. There is an earth trough for feeding livestock on the upper level; there is an earth hole that can accommodate two or three people every other section under the wall of the middle layer, which is an authentic post; the bottom layer has a deep hole with a depth of 11.5 meters, a height of 7.5 meters, and a width of 5.5 meters. Authentic granary. The tunnels here are more than 10,000 meters long, which is incomparable to the props and fake tunnels in the movie [Tunnel War].

The underground of the castle is full of tunnels, extending in all directions, and cleverly connected with the ground buildings. The tunnel has three floors, the upper floor is about 2 meters away from the ground, the middle floor is 8-10 meters away from the ground, and the bottom floor is 17-20 meters away from the ground. The tunnel is a network structure, about 2 meters high, 1.5 meters wide, curved and blurred. There are caves between the ditch cliffs on the north and south sides outside the fort, which can be used as imports and exports, as well as checkpoints. There are ventilation holes in the road, and there are wells connected to the ground.

Such a large and complex underground project is definitely beyond the reach of the people, and it is a strategic facility that is required by the military and kept secret from the outside world.

There are many ancient buildings preserved in Zhangbi Castle, most of which are relics of Ming and Qing Dynasties. For example, in the 41st year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty, more than 400 years ago, the Kongwangfo Temple, facing south, has three main halls.

The top of the hall is decorated with three-color glazed glass in the Ming Dynasty. The knife is exquisite, the firing is exquisite, and the image is lifelike and lifelike. There are two rare glazed steles under the front porch of the Xingance Temple. The whole body is made of glazed glass, with a peacock blue background and black writing. The forehead of the stele is blue, yellow and green. Below is Erlang Temple.

The one on the east side records the arduous journey of the Kongwang Buddha to become a Buddha, and the one on the west side records the origin of the construction of the Kongwang Palace. In addition, ancient buildings such as Zhenwu Temple, Sanshi Hall, Lu Zu Pavilion, Erlang Temple, Guandi Temple, Xinglong Temple, and Khan King Temple are still preserved in the fort.

The Wubi organization is a product of an era. It is a defense system of local powerful and popular people that emerged in a special historical background. This kind of system appeared concentratedly during the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, especially in Henan, Hebei, and Shanxi at that time. Most experts presume that Zhangbi Castle was one of the dock walls built at that time, and it was a military fortress with a single function. Zhangbi Castle is a relatively well-preserved ancient pocket castle in China that integrates military, residence, production and religious activities.

Zhangbi Castle was built along the plateau, high in the south and low in the north. In the north, there are three deep ditches extending downward; in the south, there are three outward passages; in the west is Yaowan ditch, with steep cliffs and steep slopes, reaching tens of feet deep; There is a way to retreat."

This is a stone water tank used for drinking water for cows and horses hundreds of years ago.

A wooden gate full of vicissitudes of history.

A little girl in Hanfu.

There are two gates in the north and south of the ancient castle. The north gate is made of bricks, and the south gate is made of stone. There are simple dwellings and several magnificent temples covered with glazed roofs. The ancient pagoda tree holding willows and the rare glazed tablet also add a lot to the castle.

The uniqueness of the castle is that all the intersections here are T-shaped, and there are no crosses. Its primary and secondary streets are distinct, and the main street, three lanes to the east, and four lanes to the west form a "D"-shaped structure. Most of the houses in Dongsanxiang are small farmyards, while the buildings in Xisixiang are well-proportioned and the streets and alleys are well-organized. In the past, they were mostly lived by wealthy households, with exquisite lintels and exquisite brick, wood and stone carvings.

In addition, Zhangbi Castle still retains the traditional Lifang pattern that prevailed in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Along the two sides of Hongshun Street in the village, according to the trend of the terrain, visitors can still see the preserved So far, they are the only exits of each "lifang". After the alley gates are closed, each lifang becomes a relatively closed fort within a fort, and the lifangs can fight independently and echo each other, forming a complete internal defense system.

Kui Xing in the sky, Zhangbi in the world. The outline of Zhangbi Castle resembles the star Kui Xing in the sky, implying that the castle has a prominent history as a military defense center. The construction of the fort follows the basic principles of ancient Chinese astrology and geomancy. In the ground buildings and tunnels, there are more than 30 landmarks corresponding to the twenty-eight constellations, such as water wells, stage, seven-star locust tree, sky eye, and general kiln. The custom of "sacrificing stars" on the twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month is still preserved. There are five elements of yin and yang on the ground, and six renqi gates on the ground. Zhangbi Ancient Castle is the only folk out-of-print of ancient astrology that is rare in the world and is known as "the first astrology village in the world".

Known as the "Yangko Nest", the ancient castle has three theaters in a small village. The Kehan ​​Temple stage is specially used to perform a small local opera unique to Jiexiu-dry tune Yangko. Dry-tune Yangko performances do not require accompaniment, but with their own voice, bold and unconstrained style, delicate performances, and many impromptu performances, lively forms and full of local flavor, it is loved by the local people. The photo below is [Chen Xiaochun's home]. It is the filming location of "Papa is going there".

The hilly area of ​​the Loess Plateau where Zhangbi is located is dry and rainless all year round. There has always been a custom of praying for rain in history. "Empty King Buddha, it's raining heavily, it's raining heavily to save the people...", the song of praying for rain has been passed down to this day, and the praying rain building with carved beams and painted buildings has witnessed those sad and pious scenes many times.

In 2013, Zhangbi Ancient Castle tourist attraction became the teaching practice and creation base of Beijing Film Academy. The ancient buildings, streets and courtyards of Zhangbi Castle have attracted a large number of film and television crews to shoot in the scenic spot.

Up to now, the film and television dramas that have been filmed in scenic spots in Zhangbi Ancient Castle include "The Damselfly", "The Red Army's Eastern Expedition", "Killing the Tiger's Mouth", "1942", "The Woman of the Swordsman Family", "Yu Jackie Chan", "Sharp Knife Class", "Pingyao People" and more than 20 volumes.

In addition to the large-scale military fortress, numerous religious temples are also a highlight of Zhangbi Castle.

The ancient castle has a strong religious and cultural atmosphere. There are two religious buildings in the south of the castle and the north of the castle. There are more than 20 temples and halls in the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The coexistence of Buddhism and Taoism is its obvious feature. Kongwangxing Temple is dedicated to Tian Zhichao, an eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty known as "the first Han Chinese to become a Buddha". The Kehan ​​King Temple is the only remaining temple in China that worships the King Kehan, which confirms the historical trajectory of the Hu and Han peoples from conquering each other to coexistence and coexistence for thousands of years. The mysterious mud-covered iron statue, the mystery of its life experience has fascinated many experts and tourists, and they are still confused if they want to solve it. The photo below is: Kehan ​​Palace.

Zhangbi Ancient Castle is located in the direction of Ziwu, high in the south and low in the north, which is contrary to the principle that the ancient city site selection "Ziwu" must be high in the north and low in the south. The temples and surrounding temples have been rebuilt many times. They built "Erlang Temple" and "Zhenwu Temple" on the wall of the North Fort. Due to the high and steep terrain of Mianshan Mountain, it is full of "rushing" energy, so the Guandi Temple was built outside Nanbao Gate to block the "evil spirit" from Mianshan Mountain. In fact, if you pay a little attention to the architecture of the castle, you will know that the construction plans in the castle all reflect the ancient Chinese idea of ​​harmony between man and nature and conformity to Fengshui. For example, the two fort gates in the north and the south are invisible to each other, and they are not on a straight line, because the main street connecting the two fort gates is intentionally curved at both ends, slightly "S" shaped, and This is just in consideration of "feng shui does not flow out".

Kongwangxing Temple was rebuilt in the 41st year of Wanli in Ming Dynasty, 1613 AD, 396 years ago. The main hall faces south from the north, and there is a statue of Kongwang Buddha in the hall, and the gable wall is painted with murals of the story of Kongwang Buddha becoming a Buddha. The three-color glazed decoration of the Ming Dynasty on the top of the hall is exquisitely cut and fired, and the image is lifelike and lifelike. In addition, there are two rare glazed steles under the front porch of the Kongwangfo Palace. The stone tablet on the east side records the arduous process of Kongwangfo's cultivation and becoming a Buddha, and the west stone tablet records the process of building the Kongwangfo Palace.

There are few Kehan ​​Temples in Shanxi. The Kehan ​​Temple is the main body of the Nanbaomen Temple Group, built on a high loess platform on the east side of the village. Fifty-seven meters from north to south, twenty-eight meters from east to west, surrounded by parapets. The southern edge protrudes beyond the fort wall, and the northern edge is adjacent to Dadong Lane, both of which are eight meters high. Kehan ​​Temple is the highest point of Zhangbi Village, and the high wall crenels are like a fort within a fort. The temple courtyard is divided into three heights, more than 20 meters square, with wing rooms on the east and west sides, and the main hall and the bell and drum tower on the two-meter-high platform in the north. , four purlins and three rafters, no bucket arch, and a hard mountain roof. The part of the "lip tile" on the eaves of the main hall was confirmed by the paleographer and archaeologist Mr. Zhang Jie as the "One Eyebrow" work of the Song Dynasty. Mr. Luo Zhewen, an ancient architect, verified that it was a "lace tile" in the Song and Liao dynasties. The glazed ridge tube on the roof was updated to gray pottery ridge beast when it was rebuilt in the Yuan Dynasty. In the center of the main ridge, golden-yellow glazed ornaments were built. The date of installation is unknown. Yellow is the exclusive color for the royal family. To climb the hall, you need to climb the dark nine-level Xumi steps. It can be seen that the "kehan" of the hall is comparable to the emperor's honor.

A big family in the village.

Porcelain prints from the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China hang on the walls. The painting itself is so-so, mahogany with simple carvings and brass hooks.

In fact, the following introduction is absolutely wrong. I feel that this village has at least an area of ​​more than 500 meters in length and 500 meters in width. And CCTV said in the "China's Top Ten Charming Towns Awards": "Zhangbi is a rare pocket mountain city in the history of world architecture, with an area of ​​0.1 square kilometers, ancient castles, tunnels, palaces and temples. It has a history of military, religious and folk customs. A variety of cultures are integrated, and you can advance or retreat. The square-inch town is superbly planned, with fish-shaped alleys, dragon-shaped mouths, and peacock colored glaze. You can see ingenuity everywhere. Mr. Luo Zhewen came to Zhangbi Castle and wrote an inscription: Zhangbi Castle has a long history, rich cultural relics, and a national treasure.

Tourists in Jiexiu City (city tourists and Jiexiu Railway Station, Jiexiu High-speed Railway Station, Jiexiu Bus Station) Tourist city center: take bus No. 4 in the city (Jiexiu City to Zhangbi, fare 3 yuan) Get off at the terminal station of Zhangbi Ancient Castle; or take a taxi indoors (fare 30-40 yuan) and get off at Zhangbi Ancient Castle; or drive along Dingyang East Road to Jieqin Line (Yanxing Auto Trade Office) Turn right at the second traffic light and turn right to the tourist road and drive for 10 kilometers. Jiexiu East Station (High-speed Railway Station): Take a bus (from Jiexiu East Station to Jiexiu City, the fare is 4 yuan) to the city bus stop Transfer to bus No. 4 (Jiexiu downtown to Zhangbi) and get off at the terminal station of Zhangbi Ancient Castle. Zhangbi Ancient Castle is now a 4A-level tourist attraction and has been awarded "China's Top Ten Charming Towns"" China's famous historical and cultural villages, "National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units", "National Famous Towns and Villages with Special Tourism Landscapes", "Traditional Ancient Villages", "Shanxi Top Ten New Scenic Spots" and other honors.