Yiwu Qi Jiguang Memorial Hall

Yiwu Qi Jiguang Memorial Hall

Located in Qiaoting Village, Chian Town, about 20 kilometers south of Yiwu City. The terrain here is unique, with low mountains to the north shaped like a giant crab, its two claws stretching forward and closing to form a valley. The valley is densely forested and exceptionally tranquil. To the south are rounded, undulating low mountains. Nestled in the valley between the two mountain ranges stands the majestic two-eaved gate tower “Triumphal Tower.” Extending from both sides of the tower is a “Great Wall,” meandering gracefully like a coiling dragon descending the mountain. Standing on the beacon tower and leaning against the parapet to gaze at the crab-claw-shaped northern mountain, the imposing claws appear locked in a tense standoff, sparking the imagination. Qi Jiguang was a renowned Ming Dynasty general who fought against Japanese pirates. In September of the 38th year of the Jiajing reign (1559 AD), he traveled to southern Yiwu to recruit and train 3,000 Yiwu soldiers, forming a brave and combat-ready force that struck fear into the hearts of pirates. In the 40th year of Jiajing, he went to Taizhou to resist the pirates, achieving nine victories in nine battles and capturing or killing over 5,400 pirates. Soon after, central Fujian faced an emergency, and Qi Jiguang led the Yiwu troops to attack Hengyu, storm Niutian, pursue Xinghua, and eventually capture Pinghai and rescue Xianyou. In just five years, he eradicated the pirate threat that had plagued the southeast for centuries. After the pirates were subdued, Qi Jiguang and the Yiwu troops were transferred to Beijing for defense duties, guarding the 2,000-li-long Great Wall in Jibei, ensuring border peace for decades. Subsequent phases of the memorial hall project include a Ming Dynasty weapons exhibition hall, a military drill ground, a maritime anti-pirate exhibition hall, and a military farming village. The “Great Wall” will also be extended to replicate a larger stage where the Qi family army achieved great feats, creating a comprehensive tourist destination that blends patriotic education with pastoral scenery. ——Long — General, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Hong Xuezhi, and former Long Zhang Aiping have all inscribed words for the memorial hall.

Source: China Jinhua Government Portal Website

Qi Jiguang, courtesy name Yuanjing, art name Nantang, was a native of Dengzhou, Shandong. He was born in the 7th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1528). His father, Jingtong, served as a regional military commander and once acted as head of the Daning Regional Military Commission. Qi Jiguang studied literature and martial arts from a young age. When he was 17, his father passed away, and he inherited his position as an assistant commander of the Dengzhou Guard in Shandong. At the time, Japanese pirates frequently harassed China’s southeastern coastal regions. Qi Jiguang once wrote a poem expressing his aspiration: “It is not my ambition to be ennobled; I only wish for the sea to be calm.” In the 32nd year of Jiajing (1553), he was promoted to acting assistant commander and reorganized the three battalions and 25 guard posts under his command, strengthening training and fortifying Shandong’s coastal defenses, which deterred the pirates from easily launching attacks. …… More detailed information on Qi Jiguang ++