Dayuling

Dayuling

Dayuling, also known as Yugling, Tailing, Meiling, or Dongqiao Mountain, is a mountain range in southern China and one of the “Five Ridges.” It lies on the border between Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces and is part of the Nanling mountain system. A granite block mountain stretching from northeast to southwest, it has an elevation of around 1,000 meters. It forms the watershed between the Zhen River of the Pearl River system and the Zhang River of the Gan River system. 19

The ancient route through Dayuling had a formidable pass built along the mountain ridge, now known as the Great Meiguan Pass. Several miles of stone-paved ancient post road still remain at Great Meiguan, lined with plum trees on both sides, hence also called “Meiling” (Plum Ridge), and it is a famous scenic area. The later-opened Guangdong–Jiangxi Highway passes through the Dayuling area and is referred to as the Small Meiguan Pass. The Small Meiguan Pass is about 400 meters above sea level and serves as a major passage between Jiangxi and Guangdong. The Dayuling mountain range is a well-known tungsten-producing area, accounting for more than half of China’s reserves. Just within Dayu County, there are four major state-owned tungsten mines, which is why Dayu is also known as the “Tungsten Capital of the World.”

In ancient times, Dayuling was called Sai Shang, Tailing, Hanling, or Dongqiao. Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, a general surnamed Yu built a stronghold here, hence the name Dayu (Great Yu) Ridge, also referred to as Yugling. During the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Jiuling oversaw the construction of a new road and ordered plum trees to be planted along the route, which is why it is also called Meiling (Plum Ridge). Located on the border of Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces, it has long been a vital transportation hub between Lingnan (south of the mountains) and Lingbei (north of the mountains). The post road fell into disuse during the Five Dynasties period. It was restored during the Song Dynasty's Yuanyou era, and Cai Ting ordered pine trees to be planted along the road and a pass to be built on the ridge, named Meiguan (Plum Pass). According to the Yuanhe Junxian Tuzhi · Lingnan Dao · Shaozhou · Shixing County: “Dayuling, also known as Dongqiao Mountain, is the same as the Han Dynasty’s Sai Shang. It is located 172 li northeast of the county... Originally called Sai Shang, there was a supervising military officer surnamed Yu who built a fortress here, and all the troops were under his command, hence the name Dayu.” In the Song Dynasty, Zhu Shuzhen wrote in her poem “Ode to Snow”: “Plum blossoms on Dayuling scatter in the cold, while willow catkins on the Zhang River drift in the wind.” The Qing Dynasty’s Gu Zuyu wrote in his Reading of Historical Maps and Records · Jiangxi: “Dayuling is located 25 li southwest of Nanan Prefecture and 60 li north of Nanxiong Prefecture in Guangdong. Majestic and towering, it is one of the Five Ridges. The Commentary on the Water Classic states that Lianxi Mountain is Dayuling. In the 33rd year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s reign, 500,000 exiled convicts were sent to guard the Five Ridges, and Dayuling was the first fortified ridge. Also, according to the Qin Annals, Qin sent General Tu Sui with 100,000 troops to guard the southern mountain passes, referring to this place... The Han Records also call it Tailing Mountain, due to the rocky outcrop on the ridge that resembles a platform.”

The so-called Five Ridges have varying descriptions in historical records. Based on accounts from the Guangzhou Ji, Nankang Ji, Yu Di Zhi, and Commentary on the Water Classic, the specific locations of the Five Ridges are as follows:

Dayuling is located in the southern part of Dayu County in the southwestern corner of present-day Jiangxi Province, bordering Nanxiong County in Guangdong Province. It is a key transportation route between Guangdong and Jiangxi, and the Hengpu Pass from the Qin Dynasty was situated on this ridge... (Refer to Huang Xianfan’s Comprehensive History of the Zhuang People)