Dasheng Fort

Dasheng Fort

Dasheng Fort is a cultural relic protection unit of Fujian Province.

Dasheng Fort, commonly known as the "Dasheng Earthen Tower," stands majestically in Sanban Village, Sanban Town, Dehua County, about a stone’s throw from Houfang Street, the town center. It nestles against the rugged heights of Dasheng Mountain to the north, gazes toward the majestic Tianma Mountain to the southwest, is bordered by the Dayun Stream to the south, and guards the strategic Wude Highway to the east. Built in the first month of the 61st year of the Kangxi reign (1722) by Zheng Zhanshu (1679–1758), a local scholar-official and wealthy gentry, this fortress is nestled among the people of Shuojie and the Zheng clan, many of whom were engaged in agriculture and ceramics.

The main gate of Dasheng Fort faces east and is built in a single-eave hip-and-gable style with a stone and timber structure, showcasing grand architectural scale. The layout is rectangular. The wall stretches 64.5 meters at its longest from east to west and 56.96 meters at its widest from north to south, standing 10.2 meters high with a hip-and-gable roof at the top. The entire fort covers an area of approximately 3,648 square meters, with a total floor space of around 4,036 square meters. The base of the wall is constructed with stream stones, reaching a height of 4.5 meters and a width of 3.6 meters; the upper part is built using traditional “large wall panels” to ram earth-and-lime mixture (including yellow soil, fine sandstone, and lime), standing 5.7 meters high and 0.43 meters thick. The perimeter is equipped with over 40 gun ports, slightly tilted downward, each 0.72 meters high and 0.5 meters wide, allowing for external observation, shooting, as well as ventilation and lighting. There are large arched gates on the eastern and western sides. The eastern gate is the main entrance, with the name “Dasheng Fort” inscribed in dignified and forceful regular script on the lintel. The gate is 2.7 meters high, 1.94 meters wide, and 1.73 meters deep. The western gate is the back door, slightly smaller, measuring 2.5 meters high, 1.53 meters wide, and 1.38 meters deep. The gates are built with blue strip stones (commonly known as “blue groove stones”), which are hard, smooth, and seamlessly fitted together, so tightly that even a thin blade cannot penetrate. Originally, each gate was fitted with two sets of four thick wooden doors (12 cm thick), covered with iron plating. The eastern gate once had a barbican, which was destroyed by bandits in the mid-Republic of China period. Inside the gate, a zigzag stone staircase leads up to the ramparts. At the northeast and southwest corners, there are protruding watchtowers, each about 11 square meters in size, resembling outposts. Each could accommodate a single earthen cannon. During wartime, crossfire could be directed at the gate to repel enemies outside the walls.

The internal architecture features a strictly symmetrical layout with a clear central axis. Along the central axis, which runs through the east and west gates, there is a spacious courtyard (commonly called the “deep water forecourt”) measuring 39.17 meters in length, 5.25 meters in width, and 206 square meters in area. The ground is paved with dry-laid pebbles arranged in various geometric patterns based on Taoist principles, surrounded by dry-laid bricks and stones. On both sides of the courtyard, along the east-west axis, there are platforms each 40 meters long, 12 meters wide, and 0.8 meters high, with edge stones and compacted yellow earth inside. On these platforms sit single-eave hip-and-gable roof structures. The overall layout of the wings is roughly symmetrical, with the northern building being more prominent and slightly taller. The ridges of the roofs feature mythical beast ornaments at the ends, with four hip ridges extending like wings and four corners styled in flying eaves. The lower sections are supported by columns and arch beams forming the framework, with horizontal beams connected between pairs of vertical supports using bracket sets to distribute the load. At the intersections of each set of beams, columns, and crossbeams, layered brackets extend outward to bear the weight of the roof, reducing the span of the beams. This design is not only structurally sound but also creates an elegant, rainbow-like visual effect. All columns and beams are joined using mortise-and-tenon techniques without iron or bamboo nails. The overhanging eaves and bracket sets are spacious and profound, rustic yet robust, with covered corridors on the exterior. The lower level is surrounded by eaves and corridors. Each level has a depth of two bays and a width of 10 to 15 bays. The central upper level serves as a hall, with the northern building’s main hall facing south, used for meetings, ceremonies, and celebrations. It measures 4.2 meters wide and 7.8 meters deep, accommodating six eight-immortal tables. The southern building is 8.2 meters above ground, while the northern one is 9 meters high. Each building has wooden staircases at both eastern and western ends. The two towers face each other, complementing one another in a spectacular fashion. Surrounding each building are drainage channels about 2.8 meters wide.

A double-layered covered corridor wraps around the perimeter of the walls. The east and west corridors are each 58.75 meters long, while the north and south corridors are each 51.1 meters long. The roofs are in a flush-gable style. The wooden beams, columns, and bracket sets support the tiles, forming a simple yet sturdy wooden structure. The upper level is 4.9 meters wide, while the lower level is 5.9 meters wide. Most of the floorboards have been damaged, leaving only the beam frames intact.

The entire fort contains a total of 240 rooms.

In the southwestern and northeastern parts of the fort, there are two wells dating back to the fort’s construction. Over 60 years ago, one well in the northeastern section was filled in with earth and stones after a maid drowned in it. Today, one well remains, over ten feet deep, with clear water that never dries up, and it is still used by the residents.

Dasheng Fort boasts features such as sturdiness, durability, windproofing, earthquake resistance, and flood resistance. Over more than 200 years, it has withstood numerous natural disasters such as warfare and earthquakes unscathed. The fort’s defenses were formidable, capable of storing water, grain, and housing troops. Historically, it was equipped with matchlock guns and earthen cannons, using gunpowder, iron pellets, and scrap metal as ammunition—weapons that were powerful, long-ranged, and highly lethal in ancient times. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, a fierce warrior emerged from the fort, wielding a nearly 100-jin (50 kg), seven-foot-long (over 2 meters) “Guan Yu Saber” with superhuman strength. When he wielded the saber, it created a whirlwind effect, repelling even water, and he once drove off invading enemies by simply standing and shouting. Thanks to its rigorous military defense system, Dasheng Fort played a significant role in protecting the area from bandits, thieves, and unrest during those turbulent times.

The ancient fort has endured wars and witnessed the vicissitudes of history. During the Republic of China era, continuous conflicts between warlords and bandits plunged the region into chaos, causing great suffering to the populace. In the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922), Xu Feilong of the “People’s Army” from Kuidou occupied the fort, declared himself a “regiment commander,” and clashed with the local warlord Chen Guohui’s brigade in successive years of fighting, as “flags of kings changed atop the walls.” The countryside was ravaged, burning in flames, roads strewn with corpses, and Dasheng Fort stood as a witness to this painful history. In the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), Chen Guohui’s forces captured Sanban and threatened to slaughter the villagers. After local gentry pleaded and paid 30,000 silver dollars, Chen accepted the money but still dismantled the fort’s auxiliary buildings as punishment. In the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), the 19th Route Army, which had fought in the Battle of Shanghai and was part of the anti-Japanese volunteer forces, passed through Sanban. They issued orders to abolish excessive taxes, maintained strict military discipline, and did not harm civilians or enter residences. The locals welcomed them with food and drink, but the soldiers insisted on paying for what they consumed. In the 31st year of the Republic of China (1942), members of the Zheng clan renovated Dasheng Fort. In the summer of 1949, remnants of the Nationalist 96th Army retreated into Sanban, forcibly conscripting men, extorting taxes, and looting, leaving Dasheng Fort with additional scars.

In November 1949, Dasheng Fort welcomed the dawn of liberation. People lived in peace and contentment, and at its peak, the fort housed 40 to 50 households, totaling over 300 people. In recent years, with the growing prosperity of the rural economy and rising living standards, residents have gradually moved out to build new homes. Currently, only dozens of people remain in the fort.

Dasheng Fort fully demonstrates the wisdom, superior construction techniques, and craftsmanship of ancient laborers in our county, and continues to inspire awe and admiration. On September 13, 1985, the Dehua County People’s Government designated it as a third batch of key county-level cultural relic protection units under Document [1985] No. 306.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Fujian Province