Zhicheng Ruined City is located in Shanglin County, Nanning City. It was once the original site of Chengzhou of the Tang Dynasty, which was built from 634 to 682 AD. It was divided into the inner city and the outer city, covering a total area of 6.19 hectares. The city built the walls based on the mountain. The existing architecture complex includes the city walls, the water well and a few pieces of ceramics, bricks, and tiles. In 2006, Zhicheng Ruined City was listed as the National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.
History of Zhicheng Ruined City
Zhicheng City was originally a secluded building of Wei Jue, the governor of Chengzhou during the Tang Dynasty. The steep limestone mountain was used as the city wall, and the buildings were built in the valley. In the outer city, a pond connected to the Qingshui River with a unique structure, covering an area of 150 acres. In 677 AD, the Zhicheng Inscription was carved on the cliff of the inner city walls, which has a total of 24 lines of 1,126 characters. The local environment of the Zhicheng City is amazing, with beautiful natural scenery and sincere folk customs.
The site of the "Zhicheng Great Temple" is located in the southeast of Zhicheng City. However the temple was destroyed now and a primary school was built instead. The old burners, pillar foundations, arches, wood carving patterns and Qing Dynasty, ancient gates, stone drums, opera house and other stone components of the Ming Dynasty are still preserved well in the school.
The Tang Stele is the oldest inscription of the Zhuang ethnic group. It has the high academic values for the research on the social status of the Zhuang Enthnic people in Shanglin area, and even the Hongshui River area in Guangxi Province. The Zhuang Ethnic people’s history, economy, life, language, social consciousness, and social contradictions of the Sui and Tang Dynasties can also be learned from the Tang Stele. The Tang Stele was inscribed in 682 of Tang Dynasty, which author is Wei Jingbian. The monument is 95 centimeters high and 64 centimeters wide. The inscription is vertically engraved. It has 17 lines of 386 characters and consists of three parts.
Now, the Zhicheng Ruined City has turned into a comprehensive tourism destination based on agricultural tourism, self-cultivation, cultural tourism, entertainment and water sports activities.