Ancient Town Relics of Longyushan Mountain in Weishan County, Dali

Ancient Town Relics of Longyushan Mountain in Weishan County, Dali
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Longwetu Mountain City Ruins (垅圩图山城址) sit atop Longwetu Mountain, west of Tuanshan Village in Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County (巍山县), Yunnan. Built in 650 AD by the tribal leader Xinuoluo, this was the first capital of the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom. The site covers about 48,500 square meters and features city walls shaped like an inverted “U” along the mountain edge. Visitors can explore different areas including scenic viewpoints, ancient city grounds, and temple ruins. Many relics such as tiles, stone pillars, and Tang Dynasty Buddhist statues have been uncovered here, showcasing the rich history and culture of the region. Since 2006, it has been protected as a national key cultural heritage site.

History

Longwetu Mountain City Ruins (垅圩图山城址) date back to 650 AD when Xinuoluo built the first capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom here. The site’s name has appeared in historical records since the late Nanzhao period. Ancient texts describe impressive city walls once standing up to 9 meters high, though no visible remains were left by modern times. Archaeological excavations since the 1950s have uncovered building materials and foundations, confirming its importance as an early capital. Visitors can appreciate this rich history through the ruins and artifacts found on the mountain.

Site Features

Longwetu Mountain City Ruins covers about 48,500 square meters. Survey found city walls on the east, north, and west sides but none on the south. The east and west walls were rammed at the junction of steep slopes and flat mountain tops, the north wall at the junction of the flat top and gentle slope outside the city. The walls follow the edge of the flat mountain top, irregular in shape, roughly forming an inverted U.

Cultural Relics

Types of Ruins

Mainly architectural ruins and white sandstone gravel floor pavement remains.

City Walls

The north wall is about 85 meters long, east wall about 380 meters, west wall about 460 meters, with a total length of approximately 925 meters. The west wall was rammed with weathered sandstone and loess mixture; the northeast walls were mainly rammed with white sandstone gravel.

Architectural Remains

Many building ruins lie beneath the surface soil, including large tile debris and extensive architectural foundations. The east end pillar holes measure up to 1 meter in diameter. The entire site floor is evenly paved and rammed with white sandstone gravel.

Statue Relics

Over 180 statues or fragments were excavated, including Buddha, Bodhisattva, Heavenly Kings, and Arhat heads. Among these, 7 are intact statues, 42 relatively complete heads, and 31 fragmented bodies.

Cultural Value

The statues unearthed exhibit clear Tang Dynasty carving style, providing important material evidence for research on Nanzhao’s history and its relation with Buddhism.

Protection Measures

On May 25, 2006, Longwetu Mountain City Ruins was officially listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.

Tourism Information

Location

On the top of Longwetu Mountain west of Tuanshan Village, Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County (巍山县), Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province.