Benxi Motianling

Benxi Motianling

Located in eastern Liaoning, about 80 kilometers southwest of downtown Benxi and 50 kilometers northwest of Liaoyang City, Motianling forms the east-west boundary between Benxi and Liaoyang, and also marks the dividing line between Lianshanguan, Xiamatang, and other towns from north to south. With an elevation of 969 meters, it is known as Motianling (Sky-High Ridge), and also called Dagailing, Taigao Ling, or Gaoling. During wartime, it served as a strategic military stronghold, while in peacetime, it holds significant potential for tourism development.

Majestically spanning across eastern Liaodong, Motianling has long been regarded as a natural land barrier. Gazing up at its peaks, one is struck by their steep, imposing cliffs and sheer rock faces—where the mountains are high, the rocks treacherous, and the forests dense. The area features vast stretches of Korean pine and larch, as well as mixed woodlands of oak, birch, catalpa, linden, locust, and willow. Shrubs grow thickly, and wildflowers abound. Wild animals roam the slopes, flocks of birds dart through the air, and mountain pigeons skim the ridges. As recorded in Volume Six of the *Complete Chronicles of Liaodong*, under the "Literary Works" section, Wang Zhihao’s five-character regulated poem *Gaoling* (“High Ridge”) describes: “Layered green ridges converge, where carts and horses still may pass. Trudging through thickets, I seem to touch the heavens; parting the dense woods, I’m suddenly enveloped in shadow.” This attests to the rugged grandeur of the mountain. Moreover, its colors shift with the seasons. In spring, mountain flowers bloom in riotous colors, cuckoos call out, and the slopes are blanketed in lush green. By midsummer, the sunny southern slopes blaze with heat, while the northern ones remain cold as ice. During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, the poet and Left Censor-in-Chief Kuixu wrote after passing through Motianling: “The Fire God passes overhead, the volcano blazing bright; / Lofty ridges scrape the sky, their momentum grand and tight. / Winding stone steps wind through blue mist, deep and wide, / Amid jumbled peaks and varying heights, where green foliage hides. / Heavy clouds close in, making heat forgotten quite, / As if on wings, my body feels light, as if in flight. / Yet I laugh at those clad in white who fought in vain, / For all lands far and near now share one name.” While this may reflect the poet’s personal impressions, historical accounts from the Republican era also describe the mountain vividly. The poet Zhang Zhihan visited Motianling and penned these lines: “A mass of dark cliffs towers high, lush and profound, / As I rein in my horse to climb winds that roar around. / Peach blossoms bloom on one side, snow lies on the other, / A single scene yet holds both warmth and bitter cold brother.” This wasn’t literary exaggeration but an objective depiction of Motianling in summer. For instance, in June 1974 (lunar month of Mangzhong), under a clear sky, a sudden dark cloud swept over Motianling. Within moments, goose-feather-like snow blanketed the area, and just half an hour later, the skies cleared as if nothing had happened. Such unusual weather is not uncommon here. When autumn arrives, the mountains glow with red and yellow leaves, while branches are laden with wild fruits, showcasing the season’s bounty. By mid-autumn, the bright moon hangs in the sky, its light as enchanting as prose poetry or a symphony. In winter, the towering peaks are draped in silvery white, the slopes steep and slippery with snow. Wild boars, monkeys, foxes, and pheasants often roam the wilderness, making it a prime hunting season for locals. Chasing prey through knee-deep snow and dense forests is an experience filled with unique thrill.

Beyond its main ridgeline, Motianling’s lesser peaks and rocky outcrops each boast their own charm. On the mountain’s northern side, in Yangjia Street of Jinjia Village, Xiamatang, stands a small northern hill less than 100 meters high. At its summit sits a “stone man,” hidden by dense forests in summer but revealing itself in winter. Viewed at night, it resembles a giant standing atop the peak. West of the small northern hill lies Lijia Village in Liaoyang, while to its east is Balichang Mountain, which rises about 50 meters but stretches over 4 kilometers in length. Hence its name, “Eight-Li Long Mountain.” At its base runs the road from Xiamatang to Tianshui Town in Liaoyang, one of the northern routes up to Motianling. Of course, many other undiscovered odd peaks and peculiar rock formations remain, offering vast potential for future development.

Though home to both Buddhist and Taoist sites, Motianling is famed as a military fortress and has long been a contested battleground. In ancient times, the Panlong Temple and Wufeng Taoist Temple were built halfway up the mountain, evidence that Buddhism and Taoism once thrived here. Particularly at Wufeng Temple, the perilous mountain path leading to the temple was so steep it was said that “one man could hold the temple against ten thousand.” Thus, Motianling has been a site of frequent battles throughout history, from ancient to modern times, as recorded in historical texts.

In ancient times, during the Sui and Tang dynasties, Emperor Taizong of Tang personally led campaigns against Goguryeo (modern-day Korea). The Goguryeo king once defended Motianling, but the fortress was eventually breached by the Tang general Xue Rengui. This history is not only documented in official records but also recounted in classical novels such as *The Tales of Tang* and *The Tales of the Xue Family*, which feature legendary tales. To this day, local folklore still circulates stories like “Emperor Taizong’s Eastern Campaign” and “Xue Rengui Captures Gaesomun.”

In more recent history, two particularly significant battles took place here. The first was during the First Sino-Japanese War. In October 1894, the war broke out, and on November 12, a battalion of the 10th Brigade of Japan’s First Army, led by Major Kimura, attacked Qing forces. The Qing commander Nie Shicheng employed clever tactics—positioning heavy cannons to block the advance, hanging flags in the forests to create the illusion of a larger force, and beating drums and horns to confuse the enemy—striking out intermittently to keep the Japanese off balance. The Japanese troops, panicked, retreated to their camp at Lianshanguan. On November 26, amid heavy snowfall, Nie Shicheng seized the opportunity to attack and recaptured Lianshanguan. Until the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki in April the following year, the Japanese were unable to take Motianling. It remained the only place the Japanese failed to capture during the entire First Sino-Japanese War. The second major conflict was the Russo-Japanese War. On February 8, 1904 (the 30th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty), the war erupted. On June 30, Japan’s First Army, Second Division, seized Motianling. On July 4, the Russian forces launched a fog-covered assault on the ridge. The Japanese fought fiercely, and both sides suffered heavy casualties before the Russians were ultimately defeated. On July 17, the Japanese officially secured Motianling. The renowned Japanese writer and wartime correspondent Tokutomi Roka published a factual report titled *Motianling* in Japan on August 22 of that year.

In modern history, on July 5, 1936, after the First Route Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army (NAJUA) faced setbacks during its western expedition, it retreated through Motianling. The army’s security company learned of an impending Japanese ambush and set up an ambush on the mountainside. At noon, as the Japanese were eating, the NAJUA soldiers launched a surprise attack. Within minutes, 50 enemies were killed—all except one soldier and an interpreter who fled. Soon after, a larger Japanese force arrived to encircle them. During the battle, the NAJUA’s chief of staff, Li Minhuan, was fatally shot in the head. That night, guided by local villagers, the troops broke through the encirclement and returned to their base. The victory at Motianling shook the entire northeast, dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese, and boosted the morale of resistance fighters. In 1985, the municipal government erected a monument in honor of martyr Li Minhuan to commemorate the battle.

This is the unique cultural heritage of Motianling—a history of warfare and a living textbook.