[2025 Yangcheng Attraction] Travel Guide for Diji City (Updated Mar)

Before going to the Imperial City Prime Minister's Residence, we followed our annual pass and stopped by Dijicheng. Early in the morning, there weren't many people, and it was so cool to stroll around the small castle with just our family of three ⊙▽⊙ The name Dijicheng is quite interesting, sounding like a mysterious city from a martial arts film. It turns out that "Ji" refers to the Qin River, formerly known as the Ji River, and "Di" refers to the fact that Dijicheng was built on a natural whetstone by the Qin River, surrounded by water on three sides. The name of the city is actually its geographical location. However, there is another saying that it means to resist flooding and protect the people. It's impossible to verify when Dijicheng was founded. However, the outline of its city walls existed at least during the Song Dynasty, and its defense system was perfected by the late Ming Dynasty. Its city walls are very unique. At first glance, they appear honeycomb-shaped. A closer look reveals that these wall bricks are covered with blue bricks on the outside, while the inside is a mixture of iron-smelting crucibles and stone strips, making them quite resistant to attacks. Moreover, the city walls are fully equipped with defensive facilities, such as artillery platforms, watchtowers, and hidden soldier caves, giving the entire wall sufficient confidence to resist foreign enemies. Dijicheng also has land gates and water gates, corresponding to vehicle and boat passages, respectively. It is said that during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Li Zicheng's peasant army attacked Dijicheng many times but failed to conquer it. Later, during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Japanese army also attempted to invade Dijicheng, but they also returned without success. The city walls of Dijicheng were like an impenetrable fortress, protecting the city's residents. Of course, even if they had invaded, they might not have been able to claim victory. This is because the interior of Dijicheng is like a maze. Its streets and alleys are not only narrow but also mostly T-shaped, leading in all directions yet easily disorienting. This layout was not only unfavorable for enemy attacks but also allowed the city's residents to quickly move or counterattack through the aisles and over-street buildings between courtyards. It's not an exaggeration to say that Dijicheng was a marvel of attack and defense in the era of cold weapons. In addition, Dijicheng is not only known for its martial prowess but also for its cultural achievements, having produced many famous figures. The most famous is the Qing Dynasty mathematician Zhang Dunren, and another is Guo Zhang, the main developer of the "Manchu Han Imperial Feast." If you plan to visit the Imperial City Prime Minister's Residence, consider adding Dijicheng to your itinerary. It's a very low-key and unique place.

Dili City is located in Runcheng Town, Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. The earliest buildings in the city can be traced back to the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The total area is 37,000 square meters, with a circumference of 704 meters. It faces the Qin River to the north and is surrounded by water on three sides. It is shaped like a peninsula and is very exquisite. Di: means "block". Diji City was built on a large whetstone, shaped like a turtle, swimming upstream, which is consistent with the original meaning of "Di". Ji: The original meaning is gravy. Diji City is surrounded by water on three sides and faces Qin River to the north. The river water nourishes this vibrant land with its broad mind and rich nutrients. City: Diji City has complete military functions and various temples, and it has the functions of a city. The city wall of Dili City is very distinctive and is known as a solid wall of steel. The outer side of the city wall is covered with blue bricks, just like other city walls. The building materials of the inner wall mainly come from the crucibles discarded after local iron smelting. From the inside of the city wall, you can clearly see the special structure of crucibles and stone bars mixed together. The densely and neatly arranged crucibles make people feel the "honeycomb city wall" firsthand. The city wall is about 12 meters high, and the part facing the water on the west side is as high as 20 meters. The city wall facing the water is divided into two layers in a ladder shape according to the terrain, and there is a ramp connecting the two layers. In Dili City, the houses are of different heights, and the narrow alleys are densely connected like a pearl net, leading to all directions. The courtyards in the city are connected by corridors that can only accommodate one person. The courtyards in each block are connected to each other and lead to all directions, forming a complete internal defense and escape system. Dili City, a large-scale, fully functional castle with ingenious design and grandeur, shines a unique light in history and is a shining pearl among the ancient castles of Taihang.

We drove from Luoyang into Shanxi, and Runcheng was the first small highlight of our 'May Day Shanxi trip'. It's just a small town, yet it hides two national key cultural relics protection units: Dibocheng and Runcheng Dongyue Temple. Many places have Dongyue Temples, and the main deity inside - the Dongyue Emperor - is a Taoist god, in charge of the underworld and ruling over the 18 levels of hell and the fate of the living, both noble and lowly. He corresponds to the Buddhist Ksitigarbha. Therefore, those who have expectations for the afterlife and hope to lessen their sins will go to worship at the Dongyue Temple. Pushing open the temple gate, it's quite deserted inside. At the very front is a cross-hipped roof worship pavilion, covered with glazed tiles, very exquisite. After that is the main hall, Tianqi Hall. But the hall doors are tightly locked, and the interior cannot be seen. Behind it is a two-story rear hall. Likewise, the doors are tightly shut. Returning to the worship pavilion to take a closer look, I discovered many interesting details. On the railing of the pavilion, not only lions are carved but also monkeys, elephants, etc. Looking up, a beautiful caisson ceiling appears before you. The octagonal pattern is beautiful, and the hanging flower columns are elegant and attractive. Dibocheng, before the Fen River (also known as Jixi Water) changed its course, was built using the river as a barrier, becoming a rare integrated water and land defense fortress near Yangcheng. And the meaning of 'Di' comes from the phrase 'pillar in the midst of the stream', signifying great sturdiness. From the outside, the building materials of the fortress are no different from other fortresses; if you enter the fortress, you will find that its walls are covered with a honeycomb-like structure, that is, a large number of crucibles became the material for building the city, probably because the local iron industry was developed, and these crucibles were abundant, thus turning waste into treasure and becoming part of the city wall. 🎫Ticket: Free. But it depends on whether the cultural management staff is there, and if you want to go inside for a visit, you need to contact them. We did not choose to go inside due to our schedule. The ticket for Dibocheng is 30 yuan, worth visiting. ⏱️Visiting time: Dongyue Temple and Dibocheng can be visited together in about 1 hour.

There are only 5 football fields in a small town in Shanxi. The city wall is 10 meters higher than the Forbidden City. It is a tourist attraction Yangcheng County in Shanxi has a long history. Especially in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there are many talents, which also left us a lot of valuable. Ancient buildings have now become tourist attractions. The tourism of Yangcheng County is centered on Huangcheng Xiangfu, and there is also a small ancient city, which also has a place in Yangcheng Tourism. This small town is called Yucheng, located in Runcheng Town, Yangcheng County. Built on a small hill, the city is surrounded by water on three sides. It is like a peninsula. The high wall surrounds the small town, making this small town self-contained and very strange. Since the historical materials left by Yucheng are not many, the specific construction time can no longer be verified, but from the ancient monuments left by the ancient city, there is a mountain city list monument that was in the Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. According to this speculation, The city has been at least 400 years old and is now a national key cultural relics protection unit. The city wall is a feature of the city. Visitors can climb the city wall. The city wall is 20 meters above the waterfront. It is 10 meters higher than the wall of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack during the war. The area is small, only 37,000 square meters, slightly larger than the five football fields. Runcheng was once the most affluent town in Yangcheng County. The ancient Runcheng iron and steel industry was developed and created many wealthy businessmen. The crucible that was abandoned after smelting iron is the main building material of the city wall, which is both durable and low in cost. Many such honeycomb-shaped crucibles can be seen on the walls of the city. The ancient city is the size of a village. It has both military defense and residential functions. The main entrance is located on the south side of the ancient city. When the war is closed, the city gate can be closed. The city walls are equipped with battlements and forts. The city is divided into ten blocks, each of which is connected to the courtyard and connected to each other, extending in all directions. The lanes form many T-shaped street intersections, and the lanes are deep and the walls are particularly narrow. It is easy for tourists to get lost in the city. This ancient city has remained intact and has been developed into a tourist attraction. Although there are not many tourists, it is very special. The other two ancient cities built at the same time as Yucheng have not existed, leaving only the ruins. This ancient city is particularly important.