A Study On The Urban Environment Of Bianzhou In The Five Dynasties

In the Five dynasties, it was four dynasties, include the Later Liang, Jin, Han and Zhou, that dominated Yellow River basin took Kaifeng city as dynastic capital one after another. Meanwhile, this historical background had produced favorable condition as to improve its political status, multiply the earth and promote its business prosperity for Kaifeng city. Nevertheless, in most of the Five dynasties times, before the Xiande3year(956BC)when the emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou built the outer city, Kaifeng city’s wall and area was confirmed by Limian in the Jianzhong2year(781BC)of Tang dynasty, this was hardly to matching its divine purpose, especially after its capital status got stable and strengthen in the later period of Five dynasties.How awkward the circumstance was! While, some reasons made it:Firstly, the area of Kaifeng city was narrow and small, its perimeter was "20li and155bu", assume Kaifeng city was a square city(all the quadrilateral that their perimeter are equal, square is the one which the area is the biggest), its length of a side was almost2887metersexcept imperial city, which was the political nuclear zone of four dynasties, the other area was difficult to accommodating such as governmental agencies, military camps, official mansions, dwellings, Buddhist and Taoist temples, handicraft and business places. Secondly, despite there was four dynasties had regarded Kaifeng city as capital in the Five dynasties, but it is until the Later Jin and Han dynasty that its capital status got stable preliminary. Before the Later Han dynasty established, based on the place change of the emperors remained, alteration of dynastical capital, regime replacement and others reasons, led to the frequent chang of political situation, produced biggish impact as to the city. Thirdly, with the status of Kaifeng city was becoming stable in the later period of the Five dynasties, numerous governmental agencies and population swarmed into Kaifeng city, the residents "seized streets to build houses", it was harmful to maintain a livable city environment. Fouthly, the Hong-gou what was excavated in the pre-Qin period and the Bian river that was continue to used in the Sui and Tang dynasties, especially for the river levee was built, had changed the flow path of lots of rivers which surrounded Kaifeng city, made the city’s ground environment was flatness and moist, add to the climate of Kaifeng city was humid in the Five dynasties, caused the city environment of Kaifeng city was "houses were linked together, streets were narrow and muddy, in summer the city was sultry and at ordinary times, the fire was easy occur.’Although the emperors could recede the bad city environment affect to themselves by reaching the royal gardens where was seated suburbs of Kaifeng city and inspecting others places, but it wasn’t essential solution. With the capital status became stable and accumulative effect was prominent for Kaifeng city, help to bring about the emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou expanding the city. The area was enlarged4times compare with the previous, integrated the rational planning what was designed before the city was enlarged, the city environment of Kaifeng city had been improved to some extent, and then provide massy basic conditions as to the Earlier Song dynasty chose the city as capital.In a word, based on review the elder Five dynasties of history, the newly Five dynasties of history, the Five dynasties Huiyao, history as a mirror and other related ancient books, this paper roughly depict the basic state of Kaifeng city’s environment in the Five dynasties, probe the impact factors of lead to change of city environment,and indicate under the natural environment and dimension happened little changed relatively of Kaifeng city, population increase and decrease(cause by the frequent chang of society circumstance)become main factor that influence the change of Kaifeng city’s environment:when the number of inhabitant reduced, the living environment would be improve, or was worsen. Although, this change trend just reflect the environment of Kaifeng city in the five dynasties, offer some reference for reasonably plan and construct the livable environment during the vigorous process of urban-rural integration and transform of old district of some citys nowadays.