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Shangdu's District of
Wen ching City
Administrator:
Position is currently vacant
Named after the "Earthern Jar" gate, this was the outer square of the city of
Shangdu, surrounded by its massive defensive walls.
In the northern Beiyuan area of the Wen Ching square were the homes of relatively modest citizens and both permanent stone buildings and yurts alternated. Here was the zoo and the botanical gardens, and here, as well, was the great Cane Palace. Perhaps Marco Polo’s quote refers to it, when he notes that "The palace of Sheng-tu was made of cane supported by 200 silk cords, which could be taken to pieces and transported easily when the Emperor moved.” Known as the “Zongdian,” the Cane Palace is known, a few decades later, to have had gigantic wool carpets in blue and white, covering 850 square yards and requiring 3,000 pounds of wool. Gilt and lacquered columns supported the cane structure, with each column bearing a gilded dragon. As Shangdu was built rather like a series of three giant boxes, the largest was Wen Ching. The wall around the Wen Ching city is 2,200 meters per side – a total of 5.46 miles! The poor sentries must be exhausted. A gigantic moat outside the giant outer wall, with its six gates - one north, one south, and two each, east and west - made it one of the best fortified of all the Khan's possessions. Here you may buy a fine stone house - or live in your yurt, it is up to you!
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