Important progress has been made in the archeology of the Bairencheng site in Hebei Province. The main road was excavated for the first time.

On October 11, during an ongoing archaeological excavation at the site of the ancient city of Baoren, Professor Wang Ziqi, Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Department at Renmin University of China, discussed a significant recent discovery. “In previous excavations, smaller roadway remnants were found, but this marks the first large-scale exposure of the main thoroughfare of Baoren,” he stated.

Located in Longyao County, Xingtai City, Hebei Province, the Baoren site is a national key cultural heritage site covering an area of four million square meters. It is one of the best-preserved ancient medium-sized urban centers in China. During the Warring States period, Baoren served as the second-largest city in the Zhao state, but it was abandoned during the Tang Dynasty due to flooding.

On October 10, excavation teams were at the site working on the recently unearthed roadway. Wang Ziqi noted, “Because the city was abandoned due to water damage, the relics and remnants buried underground have remained largely intact, making them invaluable physical specimens for studying ancient cities.” So far, they have uncovered a main roadway approximately 40 meters wide, running north to south, with numerous wheel ruts indicating the vibrant activity of its time.

He elaborated, “Cross-section observations reveal that the roadbed reaches a thickness of about 1 meter and consists of multiple layers, indicating it was in use for an extended period.” Wang pointed out that this thickness is relatively significant compared to other archaeological sites from the same period, suggesting that this roadway was not only durable but also heavily trafficked.

The Baoren site has undergone four excavations in recent years, specifically in 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2023. Notably, during the third and fourth excavations, a wealth of relics from the Han Dynasty was discovered across six layers of deposits, indicating a peak period of prosperity for Baoren during the Han Dynasty.

Based on the preliminary findings from the fifth excavation, Wang Ziqi suggested that the roadway was likely in use until the Han Dynasty before being abandoned, although further excavations and research are needed to confirm the precise construction and usage timelines. He emphasized that this discovery plays a crucial role in clarifying the urban layout and transformation history of Baoren.