Xanadu Ruins

Xanadu Ruins: The World Capital on the Grassland

Overview

The Xanadu Ruins (Xanadu Ruins) is located in Shangdu Town, Zhenglan Banner, Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on the banks of the Shandian River in the upper reaches of the Luan River. It was the founding capital of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and a typical representative of the Yuan Dynasty's grassland capital system. The site is backed by Longgang Mountain to the north and faces the Luan River to the south, with open terrain and abundant water and grass. The total area is about 250 square kilometers, with the core area covering about 25 square kilometers. Xanadu was built under the direction of Kublai Khan in 1256, who commissioned Liu Bingzhong to select the site and construct it. Initially named Kaiping Prefecture, it became the site where Kublai Khan ascended to the Great Khan's throne in 1260, and was renamed Shangdu (Xanadu) in 1264, serving as one of the two capitals of the Yuan Dynasty alongside Dadu (present-day Beijing). Xanadu was not only a political center but also an important hub of the Grassland Silk Road, integrating Mongolian nomadic culture, Central Plains agricultural civilization, and Western Regions commercial culture. On June 29, 2012, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as Heritage No. 1389.

Core Highlights

The Xanadu Ruins consist of four parts: the Palace City, Imperial City, Outer City, and the Suburban Area (Guānxiāng). The overall layout is square, with walls made of rammed earth and faced with stone strips. The existing walls are about 2-6 meters high and 8-12 meters wide at the base. Core highlights include:

Palace City: Located in the central-north part of the Imperial City, it is rectangular in plan, measuring 620 meters from north to south and 570 meters from east to west, with corner tower foundations at the four corners. Within the Palace City are the foundations of major palaces such as Da'an Pavilion, Daming Hall, and Hongxi Hall. Da'an Pavilion was the venue for the emperor's enthronement, court assemblies, and banquets; its foundation is about 3 meters high and covers an area of about 5,000 square meters.

Imperial City: Surrounding the Palace City, it is square in plan, with sides about 1,400 meters long. The walls have four gates, each with a barbican. Inside the Imperial City are remains of government offices, temples, and workshops, such as the foundations of Buddhist temples like Qianyuan Temple and Huayan Temple, as well as cultural institutions like the Confucian Temple and the Astronomical Bureau.

Outer City: Located to the west and north of the Imperial City, it is L-shaped in plan, with a wall perimeter of about 8,800 meters and five gates. The Outer City was mainly a commercial, handicraft, and residential area, including markets for horses, sheep, and cattle, as well as numerous residential and warehouse remains.

Suburban Area (Guānxiāng): Located to the east, south, and west of the Outer City, it was an extended residential and commercial area outside the city, covering about 20 square kilometers. Remains of streets, house foundations, and wells reflect the prosperity of Xanadu.

Iron Banner Canal: Located northwest of the site, it was a water conservancy project built in the Yuan Dynasty to divert water from the Luan River into the city. The existing stone-lined canal is about 200 meters long and 3 meters wide, providing important material evidence for studying the Yuan Dynasty's urban water supply system.