Ānbiān

Anbian was a fortified post on the Ming frontier wall in northern Shaanxi. The site was formerly known as Shenjing'er; in 1437 the Ming built forts here and at nearby Dingbian, placing garrisons on the western approaches to the Yansui frontier. The name Anbian expressed the hope of securing the border. The earthen wall ran past the fort across an open landscape of loess and sand, linking it with a series of other fortified posts and beacon towers.