Xibe Ancient City 🏯

📍 Address: 240 meters northeast of the intersection between Zhongxin Road and County Road 042, Changbulu Xibo Autonomous County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
⏳ Opening Status: Temporarily closed (specific reopening date to be announced)

🏺 Historical Development

The Xibe Ancient City was originally constructed during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, serving as a significant historical witness to the westward migration and border defense duties of the Xibe people. In 1764, to strengthen the northwest frontier, the Qing government conscripted over 3,000 Xibe soldiers and their families from Shengjing (modern-day Shenyang), who undertook a grueling journey of more than ten thousand miles to settle in the Ili River Basin for military garrison duty. The city was the site of the "Xibe Battalion Commander's Office" established at that time—the sole military and administrative center for the Xibe ethnic group within the Qing Dynasty’s Eight Banners system in Xinjiang—bearing profound historical significance related to ethnic migration, frontier farming, and cultural continuity.

🏘️ Architectural Style and Cultural Relics

The city is built in a traditional Manchu-Mongol architectural style, enriched with distinctive features of Xibe residential design. Remaining ruins include:

• Two ancient gate towers (partially preserved)
• Foundations of the Xibe Battalion Commander's Office
• Sections of earthen ramparts
• Stone carvings, steles, and remnants of an old well

Despite damage from warfare and natural erosion, much of the original layout remains identifiable, offering substantial archaeological and historical research value. The site preserves precious artifacts such as Qing-era stone plaques and rubbings of soldiers’ records, providing primary sources for studying Xibe language, script, and military systems.

🌿 Cultural Significance

The Xibe Ancient City stands as a symbol of unity among China’s diverse ethnic groups, commemorating the heroic saga of the Xibe people’s “Ten-Thousand-Li Westward Migration.” The spirit embodied by this migration—loyalty, resilience, and dedication to defending the homeland—has been recognized as the core cultural carrier of the national intangible cultural heritage “Xibe Westward Migration Festival.” Every year on the 18th day of the fourth lunar month, grand commemorative events are held locally, preserving collective memory and reinforcing ethnic identity.

📌 Travel Information

• ✅ Recommended Experiences: Exploring the ruins, guided historical tours, cultural immersion activities (e.g., archery, embroidery)
• ❌ Current Status: Temporarily closed due to infrastructure renovation and cultural relic protection efforts
• 📞 Contact Information: For updates on opening status, please visit the official website or call the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Changbulu Xibo Autonomous County
• 🚶‍♂️ Nearby Attractions: Adjacent to the Xibe Ethnic Folk Museum and the Seven-Colored Flower Sea Scenic Area—ideal for in-depth cultural tourism

⚠️ Reminder: Please monitor official announcements. Do not enter the site during closure periods to ensure the safety and preservation of cultural relics.