A Rare Sight: The Underground Great Wall | Cao Cao's Troop Transport Path

Cao Cao's Troop Transport Path. During the Han Dynasty, Bozhou in Anhui was the administrative center of Yuzhou and the Qiao region of the Pei state, which was Cao Cao's hometown. He grew up here, and also took refuge here during Dong Zhuo's tyranny. Cao Cao and his son had deep affection for this place, and after the establishment of the Wei Kingdom, the Qiao region was promoted to Qiaodu, becoming one of the five capitals. To protect his hometown during the chaotic times, Cao Cao constructed a secret military facility beneath the city—the Troop Transport Path.
Today's Troop Transport Path is located underground in the old city district of Bozhou. The brickwork sections of the tunnel date back to the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, while the earth and wood structure parts can be traced back to the Cao Wei period. Centered around the Qiao Watchtower, the tunnel extends in all directions, with a total length of nearly eight thousand meters. Currently, about seven hundred meters are open for public visits, with a complex and extensive layout. It is the earliest and largest underground military tunnel discovered to date and is known as the 'Underground Great Wall'.
The Qiao Watchtower was reconstructed based on historical records of the military watchtower built by Cao Cao in his hometown, and Cao Zhi once composed 'Three Variations of the Plum Blossom' for this tower. This antique-style building has four stories and stands out among the ancient city. Before entering the underground battle tunnel, visitors can choose to climb the tower and enjoy the surrounding views of the ancient city.
🌟 Highlights:
Below the tower, on the first underground level, there is a newly built Jian'an Literature Museum, which details the literature of Cao Cao, Cao Pi, Cao Zhi, and the Seven Scholars of Jian'an, who inherited the Han Dynasty's music bureau and greatly innovated, perfected the seven-character and five-character poetry genres, and empathized with the sorrow and generosity of the common people. They were later praised as the 'Spirit of Jian'an' and also reveal the profound hometown sentiment towards Qiao County (Bozhou) in the literary works of the father and sons.
👍 Highly Recommended:
Going down another level, visitors enter the actual range of the tunnel. The once spacious area suddenly becomes narrow, and the real chill of the underground air surges up, making it impossible for taller individuals to stand upright, allowing visitors to truly experience the oppressive feeling of ancient secret passages. Although only a few hundred meters of the tunnel are open, the cramped atmosphere has already made some people feel slightly uncomfortable.
The main tunnel is a parallel double path, with holes between the two paths for communication. There are crisscrossing side paths, single-lane paths, and double-decker paths, as complex as a city's overpass. The general depth here is 2-3 meters, with the deepest point reaching 7 meters, and the floor undulates. The tunnel also has many mechanisms, with ventilation holes at the top leading to the surface, niches in the walls for oil lamps, and military facilities such as trip boards and traps.

Post by adeline.cressida.everhart | Apr 26, 2024