The Study On The Historical Cities Of The Ortos Plateau And Its Periphery In North China

Walled city is a symbol of traditional culture and history of China.Based on the field investigations, archaeological achievements and historical data on the Ortos Plateau and its periphery,which located in interlaced belt between stockbreeding and agriculture,this paper studies the historical cities in it from Han dynasty to Ming dynasty across-the-board,and discusses the problem on the eco-environment in North and South dynasty.The main issues and viewpoints are stated as follows.This paper researches some historical cities adscription.Haoraochaidamu is the Pingding county city, Guchengliang is the Dacheng county city,Chengliang is the Zengshan county city,Guchengxiang is the Fuchang county city.Aolunbulage is the Xiudu county city,Molimhe is the Huqiu county city,Shilazhao is the Qusou county city,Gaoyoufang is the Linhe county city,Bayi is the Guangmu county city,Huangyang is the Woye county city,Xijuzi is the Shuofang county city.Haqinghao is the Puze county city,Zhaojunfen is the Heyin county city,Chenggeliang is the Manbai county city,Yushuhao is the Wudu county city, Chenghao is the Nanxing county city,Sandingzhangfang is the Yiliang county city.Putanguai is the Zhenling county city,Donglaocang is the Xianyang county city,and Shierliancheng is the Shanan county city in Han dynasty.Tuchengliang is the Wuchuan city in North and south dynasty.Tianshugeliang Chengpo is the Hebin county city in Tang dynasty.Kangjiaqu is the Qinghe city,and Liugou is the Jinsu city in Liao dynasty.Chengpo is the Tanglong city in Xixia dynasty.The reuse rate of the cities in the study area is very low,but the abandon rate is high as a whole.In fact,the abandon rate reaches to 77%～88%.It makes clear that the city development in the study area is fluctuant.There are six stages of the city development:the grade system of county cities in Han dynasty, the army town system in North and south dynasty,the system of army-and-administration cities in Tang dynasty,the system of freakish army cities in the frontier in Song dynasty,the low tide stage of city development in Yuan dynasty,and the system of dense army cities in the frontier in Ming dynasty.There are some characteristics in the development stages in the study area.First,cities of military and administrative function are prominent in all,and the system of cities in different stage is made once and abruptly.Second,there is no key city of regional economy because of the restriction of military and administrative situation.Third,the course of city development and the quantity of cities in the study area are in-stability,the location of main military and administrative function cities is changing constantly. Forth,the function of cities is humdrum,and the wave of cities and the wave of population in the study area are synchronous obviously.There are many factors to drive the city development in the study area.First,the two essential factors of the city development are the eco-environment and the military environment in the study area as a belt between stockbreeding and agriculture.Second,the change of geo-politics situation is big lever to adjust the process of the city development.Third,the defensive demand and strategy on the study area is a crucial factor to limit the quantity and scale of cities in the study area.Forth,the situation of shrinkage or expansion of nomad in the study area is the indicator of the city development.Fifth,the low level of land carrying capacity and regional economy is the primary factor to restrict the city development of the study area.The characteristics of spatial distribution of historic cities are important in this paper.First,as a whole,the quantity of cities in the east is more than that in the west,and the quantity of cities in the north is about equal to that in the south of the study area.Second,the space distribution of historic cities is unbalanced at a certain stage.Third,the location of cities is mostly mustering in the zone of fiver valley or lake bank.The density of city in plain region is bigger than that in hill region.Forth,the configuration of spatial distribution of city in different stage is diverse,and the location of city is closely correlative to its function.Fifth,the distribution of relics and graves is accordant to the distribution of cities of Han dynasty, they all are almost within the Han Great Wall of China.There are many factors to affect the spatial distribution of cities.The spatial distribution of cities ties to the physical environment,the location of foregoing dynasty cities,the administration and its change of counties system,the region economy,and the transportation system,etc.The city function in the study area is mainly administration and military affairs in the history of china.By and large,the city function can be classified four types:administration,military affairs,economy and trade.The function system of cities is not uniform in different stages.The grade of cities system in the study area is obvious in the history of China.The perimeters of cities can be sorted into different grades,and the cities system grade has some differences in the process of city development.The cities grade system embodies in the administration levels,the official positions and the gate quantity of cities in the study area.The administration principle of centre place theory and the transportation structure have important functions to organize the configuration of the cities grade system in the study area.The city shape in the study area is mainly square and rectangle,and this is symbolizing the conventional city shape in the history of China.The quantity of rectangle cities is a maximum because of the landform restriction in the study area.The complanate combination forms of cities are singlehanded form and juxtaposing form.The sub-city location is general in the city corner,which has high topography and is advantageous to defense.The perimeter scale of sub-city in Han dynasty is coherent to that of Chaocuo's plan devised.The gate direction of cities embodies the demand of military affairs defense. Many of cities in the study have some append-constructions to enhance the function for defense.There are many areas for various activities in a historic city,such as the area for farming,the bureaucracy region,the residential area,the streets system,the bazaar region,the handicraft industry region,the cultural region,etc.The locations of different regions are disparate and embody their specific characteristics.The level of feed-water and drain system is comparatively high in the history of China.The research on the level of agriculture in Han dynasty indicates that the prosperity of cities in Han dynasty is based on the tender agriculture and the food supplies import is a constant state in the study area. There is no breakthrough in level of agriculture after Han dynasty,and it is an important reason that the city development in the study area is fluctuant in the history of China.From the end of Han dynasty to North and South dynasty,the climate change made the cold and arid weather keeping in the study area,and affected badly the agricultural outputs.The mode of land-use was transformed from the agriculture to the nomadism in this stage.The climate change made the desertization develop mightily and fast,and approach the scale of modern time in the study area in the North and South dynasty.The desertization and the cities abandon are the two outcomes of the climate change in the North and South dynasty.The cultivation of mongoloid land in the end of Qing dynasty is almost equal to the agricultural course of Han dynasty in the study area.This cultivation is also a spread course of Han culture based on the population pressure and the economic benefit ultimately.The climate of the Little Ice Age and the cultivation in a large scale established the basis of modern desertization in the study area,and this human activity is dominantly changing the eco-environment in the study area.