Siege of Zhongdu

Welcome to the grounds that once held the magnificent city of Zhongdu, the predecessor to modern Beijing and the glittering crown jewel of the Jin Dynasty. Today, this area bustles with the modern energy of the Fengtai and…

As you walk along the peaceful shores of the Lotus Pool, let your mind wander back to the autumn of the year twelve eleven. The Jin Dynasty had just suffered a catastrophic and unprecedented defeat at the Badger Mouth Pass, where…

Continue your walk eastward toward the Guang an men area, the site of the ancient southern gates of the outer city walls. In the early days of the siege, the sheer terror inspired by the Mongol hordes was occasionally met with…

Move further along the invisible line of the ancient walls. Following the failure of their initial cavalry pushes, the Mongol armies adapted their tactics with terrifying speed and ingenuity. …

We now turn inward, toward the spiritual and political center of the ruined capital. While the Jin soldiers fought and died heroically on the walls, the royal court inside was rotting from corruption and cowardice. …

As you walk near the site of the ancient southern moat, let us delve into the cultural memory of this dark era. When the established order crumbles, the vacuum is often filled by secret societies, mercenaries, and legends. …

We arrive near the You an men area, approaching the remnants of the ancient watergate. This is where the story of Zhongdu comes to its horrific conclusion. …

We conclude our tour at the You an men Watergate Ruins, one of the very few tangible pieces of the Jin capital that survived the Mongol inferno. Looking down at these ancient stones, which once managed the flow of water into a…