Xiushan Pass

Xiushan Pass

Xiushan Pass is located southeast of Tumen in Kafang Village, Kafang Township. To its left stands Laojun Mountain and to its right, Triangle Mountain. The two mountains tower over the area, and the pass guards a strategic location. Exiting the pass to the south leads into Hong’an, Hubei, while heading west takes you to Dawu County. At that time, it was the essential route for merchants from Kafang to travel beyond the mountains. The origin of the name “Xiushan Pass” is now untraceable, but it is said that a charitable family once lived here, often providing passing travelers with tea, food, and lodging, which led to the naming of the pass.

It is said that during the Qing Dynasty, government troops set up a salt checkpoint here to collect taxes and prevent salt smugglers from transporting salt illegally to Huang’an, Huangpi, and other areas. The character “Huang” was locally pronounced similarly to “Fang,” and over time the place came to be called Kafang. Today, six relatively well-preserved houses remain, which are owned by the Hong’an County State-owned Forest Farm.

Xiushan Pass is situated at a strategic chokepoint and was a fiercely contested military location during wartime. Controlling Xiushan Pass meant securing convenient transport routes and abundant tax revenue. Countless battles, large and small, were fought around Xiushan Pass.

In June 1946, the main forces of the Central Plains broke out of encirclement, leaving only a small contingent behind to continue the struggle. On a cold winter day, He Yaobang led the Dabie Mountains Working Committee to rest and regroup in the Shuilian Cave of Laojun Mountain. Two soldiers were collecting taxes at Xiushan Pass when they were betrayed by a traitor. Lin Rangshan, the deputy commander of the Kuomintang’s anti-communist strike force stationed in Kafang Street, led a group of men and furiously charged toward our army's position. It was the height of winter, with heavy snow falling. The enemy followed footprints all the way to Shuilian Cave. By the time our sentries spotted the danger, we were completely surrounded. Only five managed to break through to Yunfeng Temple. The enemy raked our positions with machine-gun fire. He Yaobang was shot in the leg, and Political Commissar Luo Zhengbing was fatally shot in the chest, dying a heroic death. The rest survived because their guns jammed. The enemy brutally cut off Political Commissar Luo’s head and hung it on a horse trough at Shangwan, Tumen, Kafang, to shake the resolve of the revolutionaries. In this battle, we lost a large swath of our base areas and the salt checkpoint that was crucial to our financial support.

Time has changed everything. Xiushan Pass no longer holds the bustle and prosperity of its former days. Though Kafang now enjoys extensive connections with the outside world, the essence of Xiushan Pass continues to grow richer. The spirit of virtue and kindness still thrives in Kafang. The people of Kafang will always remember the three characters “Xiushan Pass,” for it marks the origin of Kafang’s name.

Kafang Village: Introduction to Kafang Village

I. Population Size

Kafang Village consists of 20 villager groups, with 519 households and a population of 2,019. Among them, 387 are migrant workers.

II. Village Area and Land Use

The village covers a total area of 25.89 square kilometers, including 2,508.93 hectares of agricultural land, 27.81 hectares of construction land, and 52.63 hectares of unused land.

III. Special Industries, Tourism, Industry, and Related Information

Kafang Village is rich in forest resources, with a large per capita mountain area. It produces chestnuts, ginkgo, … More details about Kafang Village++