Tusi Sites

Welcome to the Tusi Sites, a collection of remarkable archaeological remains that speak to a sophisticated and enduring system of governance in ancient China. As we stand here, we are looking back at a political strategy that…

As we approach the heart of Lao si cheng, we are first confronted by the massive stone embankment that overlooks the river. This structure was the foundation of the Tujia people's capital, a site that has been called 'China’s…

We now enter the sacred space of the Palace Precinct. In the Tusi system, the palace was the axis mundi, the center of both political and spiritual life. …

While our focus has been on Lao si cheng, we must acknowledge the martial aspect of the Tusi through the lens of Hai long tun in Guizhou. This site, built in 1257, was designed as a mountain stronghold to protect the Yang clan of…

In the Tusi worldview, the transition from life to death was not an end but a transformation into an ancestral guardian. We are now at the site of the burial mounds, where the Tusi lords and their families were interred with…

One of the most overlooked yet vital aspects of the Tusi sites is the sophisticated infrastructure that supported these mountain cities. As we walk along the stone-paved paths, look down at the drainage ditches that line the…

Our journey through the Tusi sites concludes with a look at the people who still call this region home. The Tusi system may have ended in the late 19th century, but the 'tribal customs and way of life' it protected continue to…

As we conclude our tour of the Tusi sites, we must reflect on the profound lesson these ruins offer: that unity does not require uniformity. The Tusi system was a grand experiment in governance, one that recognized the value of…