明代山西築城次數多達646次，存在多次築城高峰期，其中正統末景泰初年、嘉靖十九至二十二年、隆慶元年至四年為三波規模最大的築城高潮。正統十四年「土木之變」後的蒙古掠晉、嘉靖十九至二十一年蒙古軍隊深入山西腹裏、隆慶元年蒙古掠晉，是導致三波築城運動的背景因素。三波築城均是通過官府自上而下的行政命令組織實施的，督撫－道－州縣的組織模式甚為常見。因為蒙古軍隊波及範圍的不同，導致每次築城運動在空間布局上也存在差異。築城工程量均頗為可觀，從修築明細可見防範蒙古攻城的戰備色彩十分明顯。從正統末景泰初到嘉靖、隆慶年間關廂城數量由少而多的史實中，能夠折射出山西城市經濟不斷發展的大趨勢。從三波築城高潮中亦可發現山西士紳群體不斷發展壯大的事實，正統末景泰初年的築城運動中並未見士紳的參與，而在後兩次的築城運動中，士紳群體已經作為一種重要的社會力量參與進來。

City walls were constructed and re-constructed totally 646 times in Ming Shanxi. The most active three periods were the turn of Zhengtong (正統) and Jingtai (景泰), the mid-Jiajing (嘉靖), and the early Longqing (隆慶). It was primarily a response to the Mongol invasion in Ming Shanxi frontier. During the latter part of Ming period, suburban settlement and its people flourished as a result of urban economy growth in Shanxi. For the purpose of defense, the number of the guanxiang city walls (關廂城) were increased to protect those suburban settlements. Workers were organized by local government. But, in the construction of city wall, the role which gentry as a local elite group played was more and more important.