Yongcheng, as the capital of the Qin State in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty of China, is an ancient city with a long history. From the first year of Qin De (677 BC) to the second year of Qin Xiangong (383 BC), Yongcheng has always been the center of the Qin state, carrying the political, economic and cultural development of the Qin state. In the city's 294-year history, Yongcheng has witnessed the reign of 19 Qin monarchs, making it the capital of Qin for the longest time.
Today, the Yongcheng site is located in Fengxiang District, Baoji, Shaanxi Province, and has become a national key cultural relics protection unit.
The Qin state built its capital in this place in 677 BC and 383 BC, and after moving the capital to Liyang, the Qin people's temple is still located in this place, including the coronation ceremony of the Qin Wangzheng in the back. China has carried out many exploration and excavation work here after 1959. In 1988, the site was officially declared as a national key cultural relics protection unit.
During the establishment of the capital of the Qin State, Yongcheng was a city with convenient transportation and an important geographical location. The city is an irregular rectangle, with a length of more than 3,400 meters from east to west and a width of more than 3,100 meters from north to south. The east and south sides were built by water, and there was a moat outside the west wall. There are 8 intersecting avenues in the city, which shows the prosperity and busyness of Yongcheng in ancient times. There are palace areas in the west and north of the central part of the city, there are Zongmiao ruins near Majiazhuang in the north of the center, and there are a large number of small Qin tombs in the south bank of Yongshui in the southern suburbs. The discovery of these sites provides valuable information for the study of the historical and cultural characteristics of Yongcheng.
In addition to the study of the city's layout, the archaeological excavations in Yongcheng also revealed the social life and cultural features of the time. In the Yongcheng ruins, there are many ancient relics, such as pottery, bronze, cylinder tiles, slab tiles, tiles, bricks and copper building components. These antiquities not only reflect the production and living standards of the time, but also show the cultural and artistic achievements of the Qin State. In the ruins, people have also found some sacrificial pits and the ruins of the Jongmyo Temple, revealing the religious beliefs and the form of the Jongmyo sacrifice at that time.
As the capital of the Qin state, Yongcheng also hosted many important political events and ceremonies. In this city, the coronation ceremony of the king of the Qin state was held here, which illustrates the important position of Yongcheng in the political system of the Qin state. Even after moving the capital to Liyang, the people of the Qin State still attached great importance to Yongcheng, and the temple was still located here. The relics excavated in the city, such as the Qin Gong Mausoleum area and the No. 1 tomb of Qin Gong, also provide important material materials for the study of the political system and the architecture of the Forbidden City at that time.
Today's Yongcheng site has become a national key cultural relics protection unit, announced by *** in 1988, and has carried out exploration and excavation work many times since then. In order to better protect and study this historical site, the Yongcheng Cultural Relics Management Institute was established here in 1978 to be responsible for the protection of the site. The historical and cultural value of Yongcheng is not only reflected in its rich archaeological sites, but also in people's attitude towards cherishing and protecting it.
The history of Yongcheng is an important page in ancient Chinese history, which witnessed the rise and fall and development of the Qin State, carried many major national events, and also left a rich historical and cultural heritage. The discovery and research of Yongcheng is of great significance for understanding the ancient Chinese state system, urban planning and cultural inheritance, and also provides us with more clues and experiences of ancient history. Looking forward to the future, in the work of conservation and research, the charm and value of Yongcheng can be more comprehensively displayed, so that more people can understand and cherish this historical heritage.