The Site of Ancient Towpaths along the at Xihetou, Pinglu,

The Site of Ancient Towpaths along the Yellow River at Xihetou, Pinglu, Shanxi

Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Archaeology Specialty, Shanxi University

Key words: Xihetou Site (Pinglu County, Shanxi) Sui and Tang dynasties towpaths–history

To cooperate with the construction of Xiaolangdi Res- various statuses. The towpath here was actually a side- ervoir Project, in July and August 1997, we conducted a opening ditch dug or hewn into the steep cliff and the detailed survey to the remains of towpaths on the north “depth”of the ditch was the width of the path, the nar- bank of Yellow River and to the east of rowest preserved surface was 0.3 meter in width and the Gorge. This survey was conducted with references of widest, 2 meters. The“width”of the ditch, which was the past investigations. The Xihetou section was sur- the height of the shelter-shaped towpath, was about two veyed during 12–17 July. meters. To open a path in this shape should cut away Xihetou is a countryside ford located in the south end large amount of stone, which was a hard work in an- of Caochuan Township, Pinglu County and about 60 ki- cient days; however, in the places where the cliff was lometers to the east of the county seat. Across from the not that steep, the path was simply made by cutting the Yellow River is Huaiba Village of Chencun Township, sloping cliff into a right angle the horizontal side of which Mianchi County, Province, and this ford links was the path surface, and the work was easier. In the the traffic of the nearby area of Shanxi and Henan gaps of the cliff, the path could not be cut out; two gaps Province. were in this section, one of which was 15 meters long and the other, seven meters. Square or round holes chis- The Remains eled or drilled on the path surface were found, three of The remains of ancient towpaths in Xihetou were dis- which were intact. One notch cut for laying bridge across tributed in two localities; the locality upstream of the the gap was also found on the path surface. Square and River formed an isolated unit and the remains consisting of the locality in the gorge were separated by the col- 6 lapsed cliff into five fragments, each of which was surveyed as one unit Xihetou in our work. These six units were named by us as Section One to Sec- tion Six: the unit at the ford was Sec- Henan Province 5 tion One and the isolated unit 4 upstream, Section Six (Figure 1). 3 1. The towpaths of Section One Yellow River was started from the ford and 2 1 stretched about 90 meters to the Legend west. On the cliff about 1–5 meters Towpath 1~6. Towpath over the alluvial slope (which is 2– Alluvial Section One to Section Six Xipo Village 5 meters over the water table of the Slope Path 0 300m Yellow River), the towpaths opened in ancient times were preserved in Figure 1. The Distribution of Towpath Remains at Xihetou Site

140 Chinese Archaeology Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Archaeology Specialty, Shanxi University

U-shaped holes were found on the cliff over the path of the path, and the usage of these cliff holes was still surface (Figures 2–4). unclear. Most of the square cliff holes were cut close to the 13 U-shaped holes, which were the most popular ar- path surface; three sizes of them - large, medium and tificial remains along the towpath, were found about one small - were found. Their distribution were very meter or so over the path surface on the cliff. The distri- irregular: the longest distance between two holes (no bution of this type of cliff holes were relatively even: other holes between them) was 19 meters, while the the distances between them were about 1.7-9 meters. shortest one, 0.1 meter. Few square cliff holes which As for the usage of this kind of hole, some scholars in- were cut farther over the path surface had different func- ferred that ropes had been passed through them for the tions from that of the ones cut close to it. The holes on boat trackers to hold as support; but a ferryman named the towpath surface and most of them on the cliffs were Cao explained that as the anecdotes told by the late used for building the towpath. In the report Sanmenxia ancestors, a ring made of bamboo strip twisted rope was Caoyun Yiji (三门峡漕运遗迹 The Water Transport tied through the U-shaped hole, for the boat trackers to Remains in Sanmenxia, Beijing: Kexue Chubanshe, hold. More researches are needed to make the details out. 1959), the construction of towpath along the Yellow On the cliff in the middle part of this section, an in- River were clearly described with detailed diagrams and scription of the 29th year of Daoguang Era (1849) was captions. In total, three large, three medium and eleven found 1.2 meters over the path surface. The text com- small square cliff holes were found close to the path prising 32 characters in Kaishu style was cut vertically surface (including the sections of the gaps); moreover, in nine lines, and the characters were 2–4 centimeters in two medium and one small cliff holes were found 30 size. The text could be interpreted as: “The towpath meters from and 2.5–4.5 meters above the starting point was amended in the middle ten-day period of the third

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Tow Rope-scraped Traces Tow Rope-scraped Traces 15 14 13 9 8 6 11 10 7 5 Top of Towpath ⑩ ⑷ T2 ⑶ 4 3 2 ⑸ ⑨ ⑧ ⑦ ④ ③ ⑵ [3] ⑤ ⑴ [2][1] Towpath Surface ② ① 12 ⑥ T1 1

Water Table of Yellow River

N ⑴ ⑵ ⑩ ① ⑸ ⑷

⑨ Legend [3] [2] ⑦ Large-sized Cliff Hole [1] Medium-sized Cliff Hole ⑧ ⑥ ② ⑤ Small-sized Cliff Hole ④ ③ Surface Hole Bridge Notch Inscription U-shaped Hole Steep Cliff 0 20m

Figure 2. The Elevation and Plan of Towpath Remains of Sertion One

Volume 9 141 The Site of Ancient Towpaths along the Yellow River at Xihetou, Pinglu, Shanxi month of the 29th year of Daoguang Era; the business establishments of Shixing, Sanhe and Xietai shared the expense, 4000 cashes in total; the manager was Zhang Jianxian.” Trace of a vertical roller, which was a new type of towpath remains dis- covered in this survey, was found 2. 5 meters to the west of this inscription. The whole set consisted of a cliff hole, a semi-cylindrical groove, a base and a round hole (might be used to set axle) on it. We inferred that this was originally a vertical roller preventing the tow ropes from being worn by the stone Figure 3. Square Hole on the Path surface of Section One cliff and changing sliding friction into rolling friction to save boat trackers’ labor. What specially noticeable was the tow rope-scraped traces on the cliff, three sections of which were found over the towpath surface. The most typical one was on the same height and place with the vertical roller, about 0.4–1 meter over the path. This section consisted of five traces in a range of 0.6 meter, the shallow- est one of which was six centime- ters in depth and the deepest one, 32 centimeters. The cutaway section view of the traces was semicircular with 2–3 centimeters in radius; the deeper the traces were scraped into Figure 4. Round Hole on the Path Surface of Section One the cliff, the wider they were. The lengths of these traces were generally 10 meters or so; tion of the third year of Xuantong Era (1911). The text all of them should have been scraped by the tow ropes of the inscription comprising six characters in Kaishu during the hundreds of years. These traces were the valu- style was cut vertically in two lines, the content of which able evidence of the long-lasting water transportation was “Sun Tai (seemingly a person’s name), third year and the utilization of the towpath along the Yellow River. of Xuantong”. This towpath was guessed to be used in However, we cannot date the beginning and end of the the low-water seasons of the Yellow River and, analyzed towpath, either can we calculate the vessel-times need- with the date of the inscription, used most possibly in ing towing and the loading capacities of the boats based early modern times. on these traces. 2. Section Two was started from the collapsed por- Another towpath with the alluvial slope as surface tion about 80 meters to the west of Section One and was found below Section One, and some artificial re- stretching about 140 meters. Both ends of this section mains were discovered including two tow rope-scraped of towpath were severely destroyed and the path sur- traces, two U-shaped cliff holes and a cliff-side inscrip- face was collapsed; only some construction remains were

142 Chinese Archaeology Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Archaeology Specialty, Shanxi University kept on the cliff or even on the collapsed rocks. The cal rollers and two cliff-side inscriptions were found. path surface was about six meters over the water table One of inscriptions above the medium square cliff hole of the Yellow River and the waves are beating the cliff; No. 3 had only two characters “太平 (Peace and the survived parts of path surface was very narrow (about Tranquility)”in Lishu style; the other one was on the 10–50 centimeters wide) and it was very dangerous to right bottom corner of medium square cliff hole No. 7 do onsite survey to this section, while our schedule was with five characters “好大方孔了 (How large square very tight. Because of these difficulties, we had to sur- hole finished)”in one line, which might be carved by vey Section Two with telescope from across of the Yel- the masons drilling these holes for pleasure. In addition, low River, drew sketch maps and noted the remains and clear traces of chiseling and drilling were left on the cliffs traces for reference. The artificial remains and traces in this section, which would be remains of opening the observed through telescope were nine large square cliff towpath (Figure 5). holes, 32 small square cliff holes, 36 U-shaped cliff holes 4. Section Four was separated from Section Three by and four surface holes seen on collapsed rocks. a huge crater mentioned in above paragraph. This crater 3. Section Three was separated from Section Two by was about 20 meters in diameter, to the west of which a a landslide section about 200 meters in length; the col- landslide section stretches almost 30 meters westward; lapsed rocks were spread more than ten meters below the remaining parts of towpath of Section Four were dis- the path surface of Section Three. The towpath of this tributed from here along the cliff for about 85 meters to section was about 150 meters in length and ended at a the west. The western end of Section Four was the cor- huge crater to the west. The path was 4–6 meters over ner of the cliff where the riverbank turns northward; the the alluvial slope, which was still 3–4 meters above the corner was in almost a right angle and the cliffs of both water table of the Yellow River. The path surface of this sides of which were like being cut out by knife. The section, which was 0.5–2 meters wide, was preserved towpath surface, which was 0.1–2 meters wide, was cut better, except for a gap 80 meters long in the middle into the cliff about six meters over the water table; no caused by collapse. In this section, seven medium square complete gaps were found. The construction remains of cliff holes, 26 small square cliff holes, 19 U-shaped cliff towpath discovered in this survey were 26 small square holes, ten surface holes, three bridge notches, one verti- cliff holes, 19 U-shaped holes, 24 surface holes and two

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T1 6 5 4 3 2 19 18 17 1615 14 13 9 8 7 1 ⑹ 12 11 10 ⑺ ⑴ ① Towpath Surface ⑨ ⑧ ⑦ ⑥ ⑤④ ⑸ ⑷⑶ ⑩ ③ ② T2 ⑵ Water Table of Yellow River

⑨ ⑥ ⑤ ④ ③ ⑧ ⑦ ① Gap of about 80 2 ② m Long Caused 1 ⑺ 10 ⑹ by Landslide ⑸ ⑩ N 9 Legend 8 ⑷ ⑶ ⑵ ⑴ 3 Medium-sized Cliff Hole Small-sized Cliff Hole Surface Hole Bridge Notch Inscription 7 6 5 4 U-shaped Hole Steep Cliff

0 20m

Figure 5. The Elevation and Plan of Towpath Remains of Section Three

Volume 9 143 The Site of Ancient Towpaths along the Yellow River at Xihetou, Pinglu, Shanxi bridge notches (Figures 6 & 7). ids of the Yellow River, was not flat but undulating along 5. The towpath of Section Five was stretching north- the rock’s stratigraphic structure in order to reduce the ward along the riverbank for about 335 meters, which amount of stone to be cut. The extant towpath surface was the longest section of towpath with the most con- was 0.1–2 meters in width; some narrow parts were still struction remains and traces in Xihetou Site. From the barely passable; only the part about 30 meters from the corner between it and Section Four, cliff holes in vari- starting point was completely unreachable and we had ous shapes and sizes could be seen, until the northern to observe and survey with telescope from across the end of the cliff. The traces of stairs descending from the River or motor-driven boats in the River, so no precise cliff-side towpath to the alluvial slope were also data can be provided. The construction remains and preserved: at the end of this section, two square holes traces of this section discovered so far are: 38 medium were found one and two meters below the towpath square cliff holes, 59 small square cliff holes, 53 U- surface, which might have been the postholes for wooden shaped cliff holes, 53 surface holes and one bridge notch stairs. (Figures 8–10). This section was linked to Section Four, the distance 6. The towpath of Section Six was about 500 meters between remains of which was less than one meter; to the west of Section Five, and stretching about 160 however, a part of towpath surface more than ten meters meters in east-west direction. A gap about 20 meters from the starting point of this section had been collapsed, long caused by landslide broke this section into two parts so we surveyed these remains as two sections. The tow- in the middle: the eastern part had path surface preserved, path surface, which was about 6-8 meters over the rap- which was 0.4–1 meter in width, but all of the construc-

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Top of Towpath 12 11 2 1 9 8 6 5 4 3 16 15 14 13 10 7 Towpath Surface 19 17 18 ⑩ ⑨ ⑧ ⑦ ⑥ ⑤ ④③② ①

Water Table of Yellow River

21 N ①

24

23 ② 22 20 19 ③

18 17 16 15 13 ④ 14 11 12 10 9 ⑤ Legend ⑥ 1 ⑦ Small-sized Cliff Hole 2 Surface Hole Bridge Notch ⑧ 8 ⑩ ⑨ 3 U-shaped Hole 4 Steep Cliff 5 7 6 0 20m

Figure 6. The Elevation and Plan of Towpath Remains of Section Four

144 Chinese Archaeology Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Archaeology Specialty, Shanxi University

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21 20 19 18 ⒃ ⒂ 17 15 Top of Towpath ⒄ 14 13 16 12 3 2 ⒁ 11 10 9 8 5 4 1 ⒀ 7 6 ③ ⑴ Towpath Surface ⑩ ⑧ ⑦ ⑸ ⑿ ⑹ ⑷ ④ ⑶ ⑵ ① ⑾ ⑻⑺ ② ⑨ ⑽ ⑼ N ⑥ ⑤ Water Table of Yellow River

⒄ ⑥ ⑤ ⒃ ⑦ ⑽ ⑵ ⑴ ⒂ ⑨⑧ ⑼ ⑻ ⑶ ③ ② ⒁ ⑩ ⑿ ④ ⒀ ⑾ ⑷ ① 15 13 12 10 ⑺ ⑹ ⑸ 14 11 3 5 2 Legend 8 6 1 9 4 Medium-sized Cliff Hole 7 Small-sized Cliff Hole Surface Hole Bridge Notch U-shaped Hole Steep Cliff 0 20m

Figure 7. The Elevation and Plan of Towpath Remains of Section Five (1)

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Top of Towpath 23 36 35 28 26 22 34 33 32 29 27 25 31 30 24 Towpath Surface (23) (22) (21) ⒇ ⒆ ⒅ (24) Water Table of Yellow River ⒅ ⒆ ⒇

N (21) 16 17 20 18 21 19 22

(22) (23) 31 23 33 (24) 32 30 24 35 Legend 25 Medium-sized Cliff Hole 27 26 28 Small-sized Cliff Hole 29 Surface Hole 37 36 34 U-shaped Hole Steep Cliff

0 20m

Figure 8. The Elevation and Plan of Towpath Remains of Section Five (2)

Volume 9 145 The Site of Ancient Towpaths along the Yellow River at Xihetou, Pinglu, Shanxi

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(26) Top of Towpath Top of Towpath 45 44 43 38 37 52 50 49 48 47 46 42 41 40 39 Towpath 53 51 (27) (25) Surface (28) Water Table of Yellow River (25)

(26) N (27) 38 40 39

(28) 41 42 Legend 43 49 46 53 52 50 44 Medium-sized Cliff Hole 48 45 51 47 Small-sized Cliff Hole Surface Hole U-shaped Hole Steep Cliff 0 20m

Figure 9. The Elevation and Plan of Towpath Remains of Section Five (3)

Crest Line 24 23 22 21 19 20 18 16 17 8 ⑨ Towpath 15 1413 1211 10 9 ③ ② ① Surface 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ⑩ ⑥⑤ ④

⑧ ⑦

Water Table of Yellow River N

① ② 22 ③

21 20 19 18 Legend 17 ⑩ 16 Small-sized Cliff Hole ⑧ 15 ⑦ Surface Hole 14 Bridge Notch ④ 13 10 ⑤ U-shaped Hole 9 ⑥ 12 8 6 Steep Cliff 11 7 1 5 3 2 0 20m 4

Figure 10. The Elevation and Plan of Towpath Remains of Section Six

146 Chinese Archaeology Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Archaeology Specialty, Shanxi University tion remains preserved were only three cliff holes; the showed us that until the later period of the Qing Dynasty, western part, which had fragmentary path surface kept, water transportation was still run in the section of the had more construction remains. The path surface, which Yellow River to the east of Sanmenxia Gorge. The ear- was spoiled and destroyed by collapses and landslides, liest cliff-side inscription related to the opening and re- was 0.2–2 meters in width, and 5–15 meters over the pairing of cliff towpath we found so far in our archaeo- alluvial slope. Because of the bad condition of the path, logical surveys to the cliff towpath along the Yellow some construction remains could not be reached to mea- River was that of the eleventh year of Jianwu Era (35 sure but just numbered and noted. The rapid is sepa- CE) of the Eastern Han Dynasty; to that of the third year rated from the cliff about 5–15 meters by the alluvial of Xuantong Era (1911), the records of the construction slope, which had two deposit layers, showing that the and maintenance of the towpath in the over 1800 years water table have been changing in very complicated way can be seen in the inscriptions on the cliff of this section. during past centuries. However, by the observation to These inscriptions reflected the value of water transpor- the present status, we believe that the water could hardly tation of the Yellow River in the ancient national reach the cliff and the water table at the time when the economy. towpath was being opened must have been much higher References than it is at present and more favorable for water transportation. In this part, 37 small square cliff holes, Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959. 24 U-shaped cliff holes, 22 surface holes, two bridge 三门峡漕运遗迹 (The Traces of Grain Transportation by notches and one vertical roller have been found. Yellow River in Sanmenxia). pp. 5 & 6 and Figure VI. Beijing: Kexue Chubanshe. Conclusion Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology et al. 1998. 山西 平陆五一石膏厂黄河古栈道遗迹 (Plank Road Remains About the date of the construction of the towpath: Re- along the Yellow River in May Day Plaster Factory, Pinglu ferring to the discoveries in other locations, we know County, Shanxi Province). Wenwu Jikan (Journal of Chi- that the U-shaped holes were cut in the Sui and Tang nese Antiquity) 4: 5–8 and 10–15. Dynasties and the vertical rollers were the remains of Zhang Qingjie et al. 1998. 黄河古栈道的新发现与初步研 the most flourishing period of water transportation in 究 (Newly Discovered Remains of Ancient Cliff Road- the Tang Dynasty. way along the Huanghe River). Wenwu (Cultural Relics) The inscriptions of Daoguang and Xuantong Era 8: 48–58.

Postscript: The original article was published in Kaoguxue Jikan (Papers on Chinese Archaeology) No. 14: 238– 66 with 16 illustrations (5 of which are photographs) and 15 tables. Authors: Zhao Ruimin 赵瑞民 and Zhang Qingjie 张庆捷; Reviser: Zhang Qingjie; English version translator: Ding Xiaolei 丁晓雷.

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