Hongyuan Fort

Hongyuan Fort

Hongyuan Fort

Hongyuan Fort is the largest surviving fort in Beilun District, situated on Lishan Hill on the southern bank of the Yong River, acting as a defensive barrier for the Yong River estuary. Lishan Hill, standing more than 30 meters high, combines enormous rammed earth structures with reinforced concrete, presenting an overwhelmingly majestic sight.

Stepping up the neat and wide stone steps leads directly to the hilltop fort. Built in the 13th year of the Guangxu reign (1887) following the Sino-French War, the fort was established by Ning-Shao-Ta Dao (regional administrator) Xue Fucheng and supervised by Tongzhi Du Guanying. It is a double-ring, semi-circular hillside fort with a 180-degree field of view, capable of covering several kilometers of maritime territory beyond the Yong River estuary. The fort was constructed using a mixture of lime, yellow mud, gravel, and glutinous rice paste, pounded together and built upon a foundation of large bluestones — a technique known for “using softness to overcome hardness.” It was equipped with two Krupp 24 cm (10-inch caliber) breech-loading steel cannons, each weighing 20 tons, and one 21 cm (8-inch caliber) breech-loading steel cannon with a range exceeding 5 kilometers, commonly referred to as the “King of Cannons.” At the hill’s summit, there were also five barracks and one ammunition depot. The construction of Hongyuan Fort took over two years and cost more than 75,000 taels of silver.

During the Battle of Zhenhai in the Sino-French War, the first line of defense at the Yong River estuary consisted of the Weiyuan Fort on Zhaobao Hill and the Zhenyuan Fort in Xiaogang. As the war escalated and artillery ranges extended, the first line could no longer meet strategic needs. After assessing the terrain and geography of the Yong River estuary, Xue Fucheng pushed the frontline defense two kilometers farther, establishing the new front at Lishan Hill, while shifting Zhaobao Hill’s defenses to the second line. Reflecting on this, Xue Fucheng composed an inscription titled “Inscription of Hongyuan Fort,” which concludes: “The terrain of Lishan Hill juts prominently into the sea, exposed on three sides, yet positioned at the forefront of the Yong River estuary, allowing it to support other forts. With these new cannons (referring to the Krupp guns), we can guard the mouth of Jiaomen in the east and block the perilous heights of Hudun and Youshan in the west, preventing enemy ships from freely anchoring in inland waters. With diligent training and precise use, even ironclads can be pierced. Moreover, I have heard that Western nations continuously refine their fort designs, adapting without hesitation to even minor flaws. Their research knows no bounds, ensuring no failures in execution. I hope to share this insight with Mr. Du (Du Guanying) and all future stewards of this duty — never assume that the art of victory is fully mastered here, contenting yourselves with the status quo.” This inscribed stele, exquisitely carved with a turtle base, was later lost due to the construction of a weather station — truly a regrettable loss.

During the Anti-Japanese War, additional defensive works were built on Lishan Hill, incorporating the latest modern technology to erect another massive concrete and steel fort. In the summer of 1932, German military advisor Captain Wetzell surveyed the Ningbo River estuary fortifications and concluded that the original Hongyuan Fort on Lishan could no longer meet evolving military demands. He proposed constructing a new fort using the original Hongyuan walls as protective cover, with a central 14-meter diameter, 3-meter-high bowl-shaped gun emplacement. The new fort featured a 360-degree rotating rail system to enhance firepower, along with four anti-aircraft machine guns and two 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons.

From the early days of the War of Resistance in 1937 to 1940, Japanese forces repeatedly conducted aerial bombardments on Hongyuan Fort. The defenders fought back fiercely, achieving significant successes. For instance, on June 7, 1939, six Japanese aircraft circled the Yong River estuary before suddenly dive-bombing toward Hongyuan Fort in an attempted surprise attack. The anti-aircraft gunners, already on alert, tracked and aimed at the lead plane, firing eight shells. Thick black smoke poured from its tail as it crashed into the sea approximately 800 meters from the shore. The pilot, who parachuted out, was surrounded by soldiers from the garrison regiment and committed suicide with his own gun.

The Zhenyuan Fort at the foot of Lishan Hill was built in the 6th year of the Guangxu reign (1880), supervised by Du Guanying. It stretches over 40 meters in length with walls two meters thick, constructed from “rammed earth” and originally outfitted with five cannons, eleven barracks, and built at a cost of over 6,000 taels of silver. During the Sino-French Battle of Zhenhai, it inflicted heavy damage on French forces and remained intact thanks to effective defenses. After the completion of Hongyuan Fort, Zhenyuan Fort was relegated to a reserve role, with only a few small-caliber guns retained for guard duty. Though now heavily damaged, its basic structure remains and serves as valuable material for patriotic education.

Location

On Lishan Hill, south bank of the Yong River, Beilun District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province