Jin Shangjing, also known as Shangjing Huining Prefecture, was an early capital of the Jin dynasty. The archaeological site lies south of Acheng, on the left bank of the Ashi River. In 2022, archaeologists from Heilongjiang’s provincial institute and Peking University excavated building remains in the southeastern part of the imperial city. The project covered about 1,000 square metres—one limited area within a much larger site, but one that gives researchers a close view of its built fabric.
From the journal
A corner of Jin Shangjing: what the 2022 excavation uncovered
A 1,000-square-metre excavation in Jin Shangjing’s southeastern imperial city revealed building remains and everyday fragments from the early Jurchen capital.
In the same city · Harbin ↗An early capital beside the Ashi River
Building fragments and small belongings
The excavation yielded architectural pieces, including many bricks, roof tiles and decorative components. Roof tiles were mainly flat tiles, with fewer cylindrical tiles; finds also included pottery roof ornaments, decorated bricks, ceramic fragments from vessels such as bowls and jars, iron nails, bronze buckles and hairpins, and a small number of coins, mostly Song-period currency. Roof tiles, pottery ornaments and decorated bricks came from building remains, while bowls, jars, buckles, hairpins and coins add smaller traces of use to the excavated area.
Reading only the excavated corner
The 2022 excavation covered the southeastern imperial city, one part of the larger capital site. Bricks, roof tiles, pottery, iron and bronze objects from this area help reconstruct its building history and everyday material life.