Haizhou White Tiger Mountain

Haizhou White Tiger Mountain

White Tiger Mountain is the site of one of Haizhou’s Eight Scenic Spots, "Sunset Glow over the Tiger Peak," located to the south of Haizhou City. The mountain is covered with rugged blue stones that resemble a white tiger crouching in place—hence its name. Superstitious in ancient times, people believed the white tiger was an ominous star, and that “a white tiger looming over the city” was highly inauspicious, so there were multiple attempts to rename the mountain. In the Ming Dynasty, it was renamed White Shield Mountain, and in the Qing Dynasty, Ao Head Mountain, but ultimately, because the shape of the mountain really did resemble a white tiger too closely, locals continued to call it White Tiger Mountain. Though not very high, the mountain is close to the prefectural city and easy to climb, making it a popular destination for visitors. From the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, people from various dynasties carved their names into the rocks on the mountain, forming a small but valuable forest of inscribed stone tablets. Among them, the inscription by Zhang Shuye of the Song Dynasty is especially treasured by later generations, as Zhang Shuye had a direct connection to the downfall of the heroes of Liangshan Marsh. The stone carving is 2.2 meters long and 1.5 meters wide; the main text consists of 10 lines, each with 7 characters. The inscription reads: “Vice Director of the Weitai Pavilion and Prefect Zhang Shuye (names of accompanying officials omitted) ascended together on the Double Ninth Festival of the Gengzi year during the Xuanhe era…”

According to official historical records, just four months after Zhang Shuye and others made their ascent, the heroes of Liangshan Marsh arrived at Haizhou. Originally, Song Jiang and his followers had raised the banner of rebellion in Hebei and eastern Shandong, battling across ten commanderies and prevailing everywhere they went. Local forces were terrified and none dared to confront them head-on. In November of the second year of Xuanhe (1120), the rebel army engaged in a fierce battle with the troops of Zeng Xiaoyun, who had been dispatched by the imperial court. They then clashed again with the forces of Magistrate Jiang Yuan in Yizhou (modern-day Linyi, Shandong). In February of the third year of Xuanhe (1121), they moved southward, captured Shuyang County, and then advanced toward the coast. Rumors spread that they might attack Haizhou City. It seemed Song Jiang planned to use Mount Yuntai as a stronghold for a prolonged resistance against the Song Dynasty. However, due to underestimating the enemy, he was lured away from the coast by Zhang Shuye, who burned their ships, leading to the total annihilation of the rebel army. Many captives were brutally killed, and a “Heroes’ Tomb” was piled up outside Haizhou City.

The historical figure of Zhang Shuye is the complete opposite of the portrayal of him in TV dramas. When visitors climb White Tiger Mountain and read Zhang Shuye’s inscribed tablet, they can’t help but reflect on how some historical figures have been so dramatically “fictionalized”—leaving a rather unique feeling in their hearts.

Source: Party History Office of the CPC Lianyungang Municipal Committee