Ancient Wall Section Collapses at Zheng-Han City in Henan

A section of the ancient city wall at the Zheng-Han Ancient City site in Xinzheng, Henan Province, partially collapsed on July 29, 2026, after heavy rainfall caused water to seep through fissures in the wall’s cross-section. The collapse occurred on the middle section of the north wall near Xinzheng Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, according to The Paper. No casualties or vehicle damage were reported.

Context

The Zheng-Han Ancient City (Zheng-Han Gucheng) is one of China’s most significant archaeological sites, designated among the very first batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in 1961. Located at the confluence of the Shuangji and Huangshui Rivers, the site served as the capital of the Zheng State during the Spring and Autumn period (769–375 BCE) and later the Han State during the Warring States period (375–230 BCE), spanning a total of 539 years as a political center.

The city’s rammed-earth walls, which reach up to 19 meters in height and 60 meters in width at their base, are among the best-preserved ancient fortifications from the Eastern Zhou period. The site has won three “Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries of the Year” awards and was designated a National Archaeological Site Park in 2017, as detailed by China Daily.

Key Developments

The collapsed portion was not the original ancient wall itself but a repaired cross-section. The surface layer consisted of sprayed mortar applied during emergency reinforcement work conducted several years ago, with earth fill behind it. A staff member from the Zheng-Han Ancient City Site Protection Center told The Paper that “based on preliminary assessment, affected by recent rainfall, rainwater seeped through fissures in the wall’s cross-section into the soil layers, causing the surface mortar layer and internal soil layers to collapse together.”

The Protection Center clarified that “this collapsed part is not the wall body itself, but the protective repair layer on the outside of the wall.” The official noted that most of what collapsed was modern fill earth used during repairs, with only a small portion being original rammed earth from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

Emergency crews quickly set up warning lines around the affected area and deployed engineering machinery to clear debris from the road. The Xinzheng City Government Office confirmed receiving reports of the partial collapse. The Xinzheng City Cultural Relics Bureau did not respond to inquiries at the time of reporting.

Analysis

The collapse highlights a persistent challenge in Chinese cultural heritage preservation: protecting ancient earthen structures from water damage. Rammed-earth (hangtu) constructions are inherently vulnerable to moisture, and climate patterns involving heavier rainfall—increasingly common across China—compound this vulnerability.

Notably, the collapse occurred at a section that had already received emergency reinforcement, raising questions about the effectiveness of current preservation techniques. The Protection Center indicated that cultural heritage experts will conduct further assessment and may adjust construction techniques and the slope of the wall cross-section in future repairs.

According to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Xinzheng has invested significantly in protecting the site, employing over 30 part-time conservation workers and installing surveillance cameras, vibration sensors, and infrared detection across 33 wall sections. In one notable case, a road-widening project was rerouted at an additional cost of over 4 million RMB (approximately $550,000) to avoid damaging the wall.

What’s Next

Cultural heritage experts are expected to assess the damage and formulate a comprehensive repair and preservation plan in the coming weeks. The incident may also prompt a review of similar reinforced sections elsewhere along the wall to prevent future collapses. As climate patterns shift and extreme rainfall events become more frequent, the preservation of China’s irreplaceable earthen heritage sites will require increasingly sophisticated engineering solutions and sustained investment.

The Zheng-Han Ancient City remains one of China’s most cherished cultural landmarks—a tangible link to the kingdoms that shaped the nation’s early history. Ensuring its integrity for future generations will demand both technical expertise and unwavering public commitment.