Research on the Distribution and Site Selection of Military Settlements of the Ming Great Wall in Ningxia Military Town

The military settlements of the Ming Great Wall in Ningxia Military Town (Zhen) laid the foundation for the development of the towns in the middle and north of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region today. Based on the analysis of historical data and field surveys, this research studies the hierarchical construction and classification, general distribution, site selection types and characteristics of military settlements in Ningxia Military Town. The results show that the military settlements can be divided into the four levels of “Zhen-Wei-Suo-Bao”, and three types, including central town, border military fort and hinterland military outpost. The distribution of settlements is affected by the military strategies and development of rural areas by garrison troops, which shows the laws of division and stratification, while the distribution of military outposts is restricted by irrigation channels. The location of settlements is dominated by safety factors and closely related to the topography and landform. This research studies the military settlements of Ningxia Military Town from the two dimensions of military town and settlements, which enriches the research connotation of the military settlements of the Ming Great Wall, and is of great significance in urban and rural planning and ancient city site protection in Ningxia.