Ancient Relics of Tashan

Ancient Relics of Tashan

The Ancient Relics of Tashan are a cultural heritage site protected by Cixi City.

The Ancient Relics of Tashan are located on Langgang Mountain, north of Guanhaiwei Town in Cixi City. Locally, Langgang Mountain is known as Weishan. During the Ming Dynasty, this area served as a vital stronghold in the southeast, safeguarding the region from internal unrest and external threats posed by Japanese pirates. The Ancient Relics of Tashan span the saddle between the two peaks of Weishan from east to west. Within the saddle lies a ridge called Tashan Ridge, adjacent to which stands the Tashan Shrine. At the ridge’s summit is the Zhenfeng Tower (also known as Tashan Tower), which rises prominently facing the Ancient Relics of Tashan, standing just a stone’s throw away. The entire structure of the Ancient Relics is built with irregularly stacked stone slabs, featuring an arched passage resembling a city gate in the center. The passage is 2.9 meters high and 2.7 meters wide, with a carved Taiji (yin-yang) symbol on the arch. The southern lintel of the archway is inscribed with “Ancient Relics of Tashan,” while the northern lintel reads “Calming the Seas.” The Tashan Ridge passes through the archway, flanked by watchtowers on the twin peaks. Overall, the layout is grand and rustic, resembling a mountain pass.

The Ancient Relics of Tashan bear an inscription reading “Repaired in the second year of the Jiaqing reign, in the middle of the fourth month,” but the exact date of its initial construction remains undocumented. According to records such as the “Guanhaiwei Annals of the Jiajing Reign” and the “Inscription on the Reconstruction of Zhenfeng Tower,” when General Xingguo Tang, entrusted by the Ming court, built Guanhaiwei City in the early Ming Dynasty, he observed that the two peaks of Langgang Mountain north of the city faced each other with a depression in between. This low-lying area aligned with the Qian direction (northwest) of the city. A missing peak in the Qian direction, according to geomantic beliefs, could lead to either economic ruin or widespread disaster. Therefore, the Zhenfeng Tower was erected to harmonize the landscape and strengthen the city’s defenses. The tower, seven stories tall and measuring 5.4 zhang (approximately 17.8 meters), was initially built on the lower ridge of the mountain using wood. During the Jiajing reign, General Wang Baojiang reconstructed it with stone. In the first year of the Kangxi reign, military officer Wang Zigong added a stone railing on the northwest side of the tower, which later deteriorated over time. In the 46th year of the Qianlong reign, the tower was damaged by a hurricane. In the second year of the Jiaqing reign, funds were raised collectively by the local garrison, and repairs commenced. Historical sources indicate that Tashan Ridge was originally called “Ailang” (Low Ridge). The “Cixi County Annals of the Guangxu Reign” also note that “Tashan Ridge was named after the construction of the Tashan Shrine,” suggesting that the Ancient Relics of Tashan must have been built after the Tashan Shrine. It is inferred that the Ancient Relics of Tashan may have been constructed alongside the reconstruction of Zhenfeng Tower in the second year of the Jiaqing reign.

The Ancient Relics of Tashan occupy the historically significant Tashan Ridge, a former anti-pirate stronghold marked by fierce battles. The inscription “Calming the Seas” on the archway expresses the deep respect of the people of Guanhaiwei for the heroic deeds of soldiers who fought against pirates. As times changed, the strategic importance of Weishan gradually faded. During the prosperous Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty, with peace and stability prevailing, Guanhaiwei evolved into a bustling trade hub teeming with merchants and shops. The Ancient Relics of Tashan, nestled within Weishan, stand as a witness to the dramatic historical transformations. In August 1986, the People’s Government of Cixi County designated the Ancient Relics of Tashan as a third batch cultural heritage protection site.