Ruins of the Taiping Army Stone Fortifications

Ruins of the Taiping Army Stone Fortifications

The Ruins of the Taiping Army Stone Fortifications are a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.

Ruins of the Taiping Army Stone Fortifications

Located on the hillside between Xinfeng Pavilion on the eastern ridge of Yushan Mountain and Yushan Cemetery. In April 1862, during the first year of the Tongzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty, Qian Guiren, the Taiping-held commander of Changshu, built these fortifications to defend against the Qing army’s attack on the city. Constructed from mountain stones in the form of city walls, they were arranged in multiple layers along the contours of the mountain, known as First Camp, Second Camp, and so on. Extremely solid and highly defensible. Today, remnants of the fortifications remain, with several stone structures stretching nearly 100 meters in total length. The ruins have significant value for the study of the later military struggles of the Taiping Rebellion and also enrich historical materials about the Taiping Army. They were designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Changshu City in November 1982.