遼代疆域在今東北、內蒙，以及河北、山西北部之地，晚近考古發掘與調查提供不少資料可用於歷史之研究。本文就東北地區遼代時之東京道、上京與中京道部分城址探討其型制與設施情形，就一百六十筆資料資為五等級城 市分析，得知城之規模大小與其為節度、觀察、刺史州之品級無絕對關係。形式上以傳統之長方、方形城居多，方向則為傳統之南向居多，其他護城河、甕城、角樓臺、馬面等設施不因城之等級而有定制，城牆構築絕大多數為夯土層建，牆基與上寬比例頗見差距，亦不見有其定制，甕城門之方向與馬面之間距則較為規律。
The territory of Liao dynasty was in where now northeast China, inner Mongolia and north par of Ho-pei and Shan-shi province. Numerous archaeological uncovering and inquiry of recent time have being available for historical research. This treatise tries to discuss the Liao dynasty in northeast China--- The east, upper and middle capital, from some part of its city remainder about its model and establishment. From the 160 pieces of materials we have collected, graded as five level of cities, we find that the size of the city have nothing to do with the official title of the magistrate. The arrangement of the city was outlined as rectangular or true square and the orientation of the city was mostly southward. The fashion of their ditch, outer protecting wall, turret and horse face were varied and in no accordance with the class of the city. The city wall was constructed of stratum 夯土 and the wall base was more stretch out than the top, which build with no regualated standard. The orientation of outer protecting wall and its distance from the horse face were generally in accordance to the rule the time.
