Published : 2024-04-30
For five thousand years, China has left various historic marks on its vast land, among which the abandoned ancient citadels are the key witnesses of every dynasty and every era.
When it comes to ancient cities, most people would think of them as in square shape, but it turns out that they can be polygonal, or even in the shape of an animal!
These strange ancient cities are hidden in the mysterious Gansu Desert...
The ancient city of Bajiao Ancient City (八角古城) and the Yongtai Ancient City (永泰古城) in Gansu Province are two of the most amazing ancient cities in China.
The ancient city of Bajiao was firstly built in the Han Dynasty, with a history of 2,000 years. Unlike the common square walled ancient cities, the ancient city of Bajiao is in the shape of a hollow cross with eight corners, from which it gets the name "Bajiao" which means eight corners in Chinese.
The Yongtai Ancient City, which was built in the Ming Dynasty, looks like a huge "turtle" lying on the ground. Therefore, it is also called the "Turtle-shaped Yongtai City" (永泰龜城).
In ancient times, these two places served as military fortresses. The unique layout of the city walls could resist invasions, providing effective protection.
As time passes, the ancient town of Bajiao and the Yongtai ancient city have lost their military functions and have become natural villages.
Currently, residents still live in these two ancient cities, leading a simple life based mainly on livestock farming.
Occasionally, tourists visit for its reputation, to experience the simple and primitive local culture, and they have become a secluded secret place in the desert of Gansu.
Read more: Travel along Hexi Corridor: 4 Must-see cultural attractions
