The Site of Dingding Gate, Luoyang City of Sui and Tand Dynasties Introduction

(1) Contribution to the Silk Roads' OUV

Located in the Luoyang Basin and in the south of Site of Luoyang City in Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Site of Dingding Gate is the site of south gate and blocks of Luoyang City and best represents the city, the east origination of Silk Roads from 7th to 10th century. It witnesses the civilization of an Orient empire when its agricultural civilization reached its pinnacle. It reflects ritual characteristics and influence of the urban culture of Tang’s capital city as well as its close association with the thriving trade along the Silk Roads.

(2) General Information

The site of Dingding Gate (Dingding means a new Dynasty founded), located in Luoyang city, Henan province in China, consists of remains of south city gate and its blocks in Sui and Tang dynasties (7th-10^th century). The property area covers 91.3 hectares. The main relics include the remains Dingding gate, city wall, Lifang (enclosed residential area, or neighorhood), water system remains and so on.

Dingding gate is the south gate on the outer city wall of Luoyang, the south end of the city axis and faces Yi Que (Longmen Hill). Dingding gate was built in Sui Dynasty (7th century) in the name of “Jianguo Gate”, and was renamed “Dingding Gate” in Tang Dynasty, which name was used till Northern Song Dynasty. Dingding gate was renovated for several times during that period. The main abutment of the site is 44.5 meters long eastwest and 21.04 meters wide north-south. Two partition walls divided the gate into three gateways. The abutment was covered with bricks around. In addition, there are remains of corridor, Que (a freestanding, ceremonial gate tower in traditional Chinese architecture), bridleways and culverts.

The east and west sides of the gate were connected with the outer city wall of Luoyang city. North of the gate is the city axis – Tianjie Avenue, about 109 meters wide. Two Lifang remains, namely, Mingjiao Fang and Ningren Fang were discovered on the east and west sides of the avenue. Lifang is about 530 meters north-south and 460 meters east-west. The Lifang wall is 1.5-2 meters wide with Lifang gate on four sides. Architectural remains have been discovered in the Lifang. Lifang-related remains include remains of roads connecting Lifang, cross roads inside Lifang, Tongjin river way, and drainage system. Road pavement of Tang Dynasty has been discovered south of the Dingding gate, together with human footprints, animal hoof prints and ruts.

(3) Attributes

The remains of piers and abutments, archway, partition walls, corridors of overhanging eaves, pavilion, horse path and culvert of the Dingding Gate, the gate architecture with rammed earth and surfaced bricks, the platform bridge and Lifang system all witnessed the urban architectural characteristics and advanced architectural skills as well as the oriental agricultural civilization during the flourishing period of the Silk Roads from 7th to 10^th century.

Dingding Gate was the grand south city gate of Luoyang city and the south starting point of the city axis avenue. The site of Dingding Gate, as well as remains of the city wall, Lifang, city road, and water system, epitomized the characteristics of the urban planning in the Sui and Tang dynasties, viz., a trio-structure of outer city, inner city and imperial palace, a clear north-south urban axis, to build main avenue on axis, to form a grid layout with Lifang as a basic constituent unit, and to build complete road and water systems. These features represent typical ritual characteristics reflected from the urban planning of capital cities Sui and Tang. These features also cast a far-reaching impact on East Asia city construction, particularly, on the layout of Heijo (now Nara) and Heian-kyō in Japan57. The camel hoof prints discovered on the southern side of the gate are unique evidence of the Silk Roads trade activities, of which camels were the major transportation vehicles, and prove the close relationship between the Western Regions and the Central China. They were the palpable evidence for the business exchanges via the Silk Roads.