Jiuxian Mountain Fortress

Jiuxian Mountain Fortress

Jiuxian Mountain Fortress is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Jiuxian Mountain Fortress is located in Guangfeng County and dates back to the Qing Dynasty.

Jiuxian Mountain Fortress was a mountain stronghold where peasant rebel troops were stationed during the late Ming and early Qing periods, and is now a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province. The fortress is situated on the mountainside of Jiuxian Mountain in Guangfeng (currently within the territory of Gaoyang Village). It originally had east, south, and north gates, while the west gate was never built. The gates were constructed in strategic locations, standing 3 meters high and 2.1 meters wide. Inside the fortress, remnants such as the Assembly Hall, flagpole bases, water mills, and stone grinders can still be found, as well as Yang Wen’s tomb, caves, and inscriptions. On the cliffs leading to the main peak, there are also remains of plank walkways.

Jiuxian Mountain is located 60 li southwest of Guangfeng County. It belongs to the Tongbo Mountain range, a branch of the Xianxia Ridge. The mountain features steep terrain and cliffs as if hewn with an axe, with its main peak rising 571 meters above sea level. To the east are Shutou Mountain and Penji Mountain; to the south are Guan Gong Rock and Baihua Rock; to the west lies the vast expanse of Juntan Reservoir, facing Youping Rock and Juntan Mountain from afar; to the north are Lion Head Mountain and Lietoujian Peak. Viewed from afar, Jiuxian Mountain presents a range of continuous peaks shrouded in mist, appearing and disappearing like a fairyland.

Jiuxian Mountain Fortress was built around the year 1648. According to records, in the late Ming Dynasty, Emperor Tang Zhu Yujian appointed Zhan Zhaoheng (a native of Guangfeng) as Vice Minister of War and Zhou Tianji (also a native of Guangfeng) as Military Supervisor, to assist Huang Daozhou in defending Guangxin Prefecture. In the third year of the Shunzhi reign (1646), Qing forces captured Guangxin, and Tianji fled to Jiuxian Mountain. In the fourth year, Zhaoheng was defeated at Niutou Mountain, and his subordinate commander Zhou Li led his troops to join Tianji. Zhu Bazhong, the bailiff of Gaoyang, who had long harbored a grudge against Yang Wen, secretly reported to the authorities, hoping to harm him. Yang Wen and his entire family then sought refuge under the command of the banner officer Huang Kuizi. However, Huang treated them as slaves and even violated his wife. Enraged, Yang Wen, with the secret assistance of Tianji, beheaded Huang Kuizi, defeated Zhou Li, and raised the banner of rebellion. Yang Wen was chosen as the leader of the rebel army. Peasants from all directions responded en masse, significantly bolstering their momentum and establishing their dominance over the three provinces of Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian. Leading 9,000 rebel troops, Yang Wen built fortifications and established camps on Jiuxian Mountain. The Qing Dynasty ordered troops from Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian to jointly suppress the rebels. The rebel forces put up a tenacious resistance, holding their ground in strategic positions and engaging the Qing army in a seven-year standoff. In October of the eleventh year (1654), a traitor emerged within the rebel ranks. As a result, Yang Wen was fatally struck by a cannonball while inspecting the fortifications.

This peasant uprising in the late Ming and early Qing period ultimately failed. On the eastern cliffs of the main peak lies a cave known as the Silver Cave. Legend has it that this was where Yang Wen’s rebel army stored their gold and silver treasures. There was no path to reach the cave; only Yang Wen’s sister could fly up and down using two round winnowing baskets to store and retrieve items. The main peak has a water mill, stone grinders, and three ponds—according to legend, one was for drinking water, one for fish farming, and one for washing. At that time, Yang Wen’s rebel army was completely besieged. The Qing forces hoped the rebels would run out of food, causing the mountain stronghold to fall without direct attack. Unexpectedly, the fortress had cultivated farmland for grain, ponds for fish, and reclaimed land for vegetables. For two years, not only did the rebels not run out of food, but they even threw fresh grain and fish down the mountain. The Qing soldiers were shocked and had no choice but to withdraw and reconsider their strategy. According to the county annals, after Jiuxian Mountain Fortress was captured, there were still two years’ worth of grain, fodder, and firewood left on the mountain.

Not far from Jiuxian Mountain lies Baihua Rock, which features majestic scenery and strikingly rugged rocks. On the cliff face, the bold and powerful characters “Baihua Rock” (百花岩) are prominently displayed, written by the Ming Dynasty literary figure Lü Huai. During the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, Lü Huai visited this place with Yu Chunsi, Ye Maomang, Yu Xiang, and Yu Yanchong. Amazed by its wonder, he joyfully inscribed the name and composed a poem, which was later also engraved on the rock face.

The poem reads:

With poetic mood upheld by walking stick, I seek truth amidst white clouds.

Passing through the stone crevice, I’m amazed by nature’s grand division.

Cliffside trees hang in the void, while floral scents drift with fallen bamboo leaves.

I truly feel as if beyond this world, facing you all on this evening.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province