Jingzhou
was believed to have been built by Guan Yu at the same time he made the earth.
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| Wall outside of Jingzhou |
And while this may not be strictly true, it has been a transportation hub and
commodity distribution center for more than 5,000 years. Because of its
location, Jingzhou served as the capital for 20 kings from around 1046 BCE
until 256 BCE. This rich history has provided archeologists with numerous sites
to explore. Within Jiangling County are ruins of five Chu cities, 73 sites
containing Chu Culture items and more than 800 ancient tombs, including those
of 18 Chu kings; there is also a well-preserved 2,000-year-old male corpse. The
city walls, city gates, watchtowers, and battlements have been well maintained.
