yángmǎchéng
- Scope note
- Yangma wall (yangmacheng 羊馬城) literally meaning “goat and horse fortification," first appeared in Tang dynasty records and then also in Song dynasty textual sources. It refers to a wall built either between the city wall and the moat or around a beacon tower. It is usually smaller than the city wall. The yangma wall forms a closed circle around the city wall or the beacon tower, or may be located in certain parts of the city wall to form a closed circle together with the city wall. Yangma wall serves as a defensive line between the city wall and the moat in order to prevent the enemy from invading. It was also used for the temporary placement of goats, sheep, and horses when residents outside the city entered the city for protection. A second term, yangmaqiang 羊馬墻, literally meaning “goat and horse wall" also survives in Tang and Song records and the two terms are interchangeable in texts until the Qing dynasty. Yangma wall (yangmacheng 羊馬城) literally meaning “goat and horse fortification," first appeared in Tang dynasty records and then also in Song dynasty textual sources. It refers to a wall built either between the city wall and the moat or around a beacon tower. It is usually smaller than the city wall. The yangma wall forms a closed circle around the city wall or the beacon tower, or may be located in certain parts of the city wall to form a closed circle together with the city wall. Yangma wall serves as a defensive line between the city wall and the moat in order to prevent the enemy from invading. It was also used for the temporary placement of goats, sheep, and horses when residents outside the city entered the city for protection. A second term, yangmaqiang 羊馬墻, literally meaning “goat and horse wall" also survives in Tang and Song records and the two terms are interchangeable in texts until the Qing dynasty.
- Date of creation: 22-Apr-2024
Accepted term: 22-Apr-2024 
