Hetu Ala

Hetu Ala, in the valley of the Suzi River, was the fortified seat from which Nurhaci united Jurchen tribes. Construction of the city began in 1603. Its inner and outer walls enclosed the residence of the ruler, temples, and quarters for his followers. Here, in 1616, Nurhaci proclaimed himself khan and founded the Later Jin, the state that would become the Qing dynasty. As his armies advanced westward, the court left Hetu Ala. Nurhaci established a new capital at Liaoyang in 1621 and moved again to Shenyang in 1625. The old city, later named Xingjing, remained a place of ancestral significance for the ruling house, whose early history was rooted in the surrounding hills and river valleys.