东北古代民族的筑城史自夏家店下层文化至清王朝，在长达4000余年的历史长河中几乎未有间断。夏家店下层文化石城是东北古代民族筑城的雏形，深远影响了秽貊族、高句丽、渤海和女真的山地筑城。夫余圆形土城和三江平原汉魏古城群则证实东北古代民族已迈入文明社会。渤海国开始大量修筑土筑的平原城，并进入复杂而庞大的京城设计与建设的历史阶段，而且为辽、金两代继承。元明以后，东北的筑城时代逐渐陷入沉睡。其后虽有建州女真城寨和以清代“关外三京”为代表的都市文明的再度复兴，但只能算作东北古代筑城文明的落日余晖。
The history of ancient cities in ancient Northeast of China，from Xiajiadian Lower Level Culture to Qing dynasty，lasts 4000 years and hardly stopped. Stone Cities，shaped by Xiajiadian Lower Level Culture，is the prototype of the ancient cities in ancient Northeast of China，and profoundly influences mountain fortifications of Yemack，Koguryo，Bohai and Jurchen ethnics. The discovery of Fuyu circular clay-built cities and ancient cities of Han and Wei Dynasties group found in Sanjiang plain has proved that ancient northeast ethnics of China have entered civilized society. Begining with building the clay-built plain city，Bohai kingdom entered the period of buildling complicated and grand-scale cities and was inherited by Liao and Jin dynasties. After the Yuan and Ming dynasties，the ancient cities in Northeast China has gradually died out. Later though city civilization in Northeast has revived for a while，represented by Jianzhou Jurchen cities and “guanwaisanjing”（three capitals outside Shanhaiguan Pass of Qing dynasty），it is generally considered as the sunset of the fortification civilization in ancient Northeast of China.
