Dalongmen Fortress

Dalongmen Fortress

Dalongmen Fortress is located on the southern bank of the Juma River in Laishui County. Built in the eighth year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1410), it served as a strategic pass along the Great Wall. Most of the structure remains well-preserved and stands as one of the important fortresses of the Ming Dynasty’s inner Great Wall. The fortress has a square layout with gates on the east and west sides. The southern part is naturally shielded by mountains, while the western, northern, and eastern sides are constructed from large stone blocks and blue bricks, making it extremely solid. The west gate features a plaque inscribed with the four characters “镇宣威武” (Suppress and Demonstrate Martial Might). Inside the fortress, there was once an official yamen (government office), a military drill ground, and an armory. A garrison commander was stationed here, overseeing twelve subordinate passes. Within the fortress, historical relics have been discovered, including a seven-character quatrain stele from the second year of the Longqing reign (1568) and the “Record of the Reconstruction of the Two Sages Shrine” from the forty-eighth year of the Wanli reign (1620), which mention the names of numerous frontier guards.

Since the construction of the city walls during the Liao and Jin dynasties, this area has been inhabited, mainly by stationed soldiers and their families. Over time, it developed into a village, whose residents are largely descendants of those frontier guards. Today, the village has over ninety households and around 300 people, who still maintain simple and honest folk customs. Notable traditions include the three-day “Lungmen Lantern Festival” held on the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of the first lunar month, the “Lantern Swinging” event, and the “River Lantern Release” on the evening of the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. In the ancient village, some traditional houses are still well preserved, with blue bricks, carved tiles, stone pillars, and mountain gates commonly seen. Three-thousand-year-old scholar trees still stand, and scattered among homes are massive stone slabs weighing over a thousand pounds and various stone tablets. Visitors interested in exploring the old village can enter through the east gate to experience its historic charm.