Qianqiu Gate Ruins and Ancient Water Conservancy Facilities Discovered in Luoyang

Qianqiu Gate Ruins and Ancient Water Conservancy Facilities Discovered in Luoyang

汉魏洛阳城遗址发现千秋门遗址并挖掘出魏晋时期大型水利设施

New discoveries have been made at the ruins of the ancient city from Han to Wei dynasties (202 BC-534) in Luoyang city of Henan province, said local authority on June 11. Archaeologists announced that they have identified the positions, structures and current preservation of the ruins of Qianqiu Gate, a gate of the palace buildings of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), and the ruins of watercourses dating back to the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420), which deepens the understanding of the architectural layout and functional zoning of the palace areas and provides reliable data for preservation and exhibition.

6月11日，记者从洛阳市汉魏故城遗址管理处、中国社会科学院考古研究所洛阳汉魏城队举行的新闻发布会上获悉，汉魏洛阳城遗址考古取得新发现，确认了千秋门遗址、魏晋时期水道遗迹等位置、形制和保存状况，进一步深化了对宫城区建筑布局和功能分区的认识，为科学保护展示提供了可靠的发掘资料。

Ruins of Qainqiu Gate. [Photo provided to Henan Daily]

During the excavation of Qianqiu Gate, archaeologists discovered the stone or brick ruins of watercourses of the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220), the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420) and the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), which were used as channels of water diversion from outside to the palace and vice versa. "The large arch-type watercourse built no later than the Han Dynasty consist of internal and external structures built with bricks, of which the internal one is not only 1.2 meters in width and well-preserved, but also an important discovery of the early architectural relics at the ruins," said Liu Tao, associate research fellow of the archaeological team on the scene with the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

同时，在对千秋门门址进行的考古解剖发掘中，发现了汉代、魏晋、北魏时期砖砌、石砌水道遗迹，属于汉魏时期向宫城内引水和向宫城外排水的城市水利系统的重要组成部分。中国社会科学院考古研究所洛阳汉魏城队副研究员刘涛说：“其中发现的不晚于汉代的大型砖砌拱券式水道，由内外两重砌砖构成，内宽1.2米，不仅结构完整、规模巨大，也是汉魏洛阳城早期建筑遗迹的重要发现。”

These facilities reflect the mature skills of water conservancy projects in the Wei and Jin dynasties, as well as the old city's cognition of the planning, transformation, and utilization of water resources.

据了解，这一整套水利设施集中反映了魏晋时期水利工程的成熟技艺，以及当时都城对水资源环境的规划、改造和利用的认知水平。（中文来源/河南日报 记者/郭歌 编译/赵汉青 审校/丁岚）