Wan'an West Fort

Wan'an West Fort

Wan'an West Fort is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

Wan'an West Fort is located on the mountaintop southwest of Liangyao Village, Dayu Town, Ruzhou City, Henan Province, also known as Dragon Head Fort. The stone fort has an oval layout, measuring 40 meters from east to west and 65 meters from north to south, covering a total area of 2,600 square meters. The fort walls are about 10 meters high and are entirely built with square bluestones. There is one arched gate each on the southern and northern sides. A stone stele is inlaid on the upper part of the northern gate, inscribed with “Gazing at Songshan,” “Shaoshi Acts as a Screen,” and “Dragon Head Fort.” Similarly, a stone stele is inlaid on the southern gate, engraved with “Overlooking Ruzhou,” “Wan'an West Stone Fort,” “Returning Dragon Peak,” and “Fourth Year of the Xuantong Reign” among other inscriptions. In the southern part of the stone fort, there are currently five stone arched cave dwellings, stretching 28.5 meters from north to south and 11.7 meters from east to west, with a height of 6 meters. In the middle of the northern part, there are three tile-roofed houses made of stone and wood. The interior walls of the house feature five wall cabinets. Adjacent to the right side of the northern gate, there are three similar stone caves. In the southwestern part of the fort, a water storage cellar is carved out of bluestone, measuring 3 meters in length, 2.4 meters in width, and 1.6 meters in depth.

Wan'an West Fort was built in the fourth year of the Xuantong Reign (1912 AD). During the early years of the Republic of China, banditry was rampant and social order was chaotic. Local wealthy man Liang Bangxian funded the construction of the fort to ensure the safety of himself, his family, and the local residents. The construction of Wan'an West Fort features a rational layout and a majestic presence. It is one of the more intact ancient mountain forts preserved in the Central Plains region and holds significant value for the study of ancient forts in Ruzhou.

On January 22, 2016, it was announced by the People's Government of Henan Province as part of the seventh batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Dayu Town: Located in the northeastern part of Ruzhou City, Dayu Town covers a total area of 140 square kilometers, governs 24 administrative villages, and has a population of 23,000. During the War of Resistance against Japan, commanders such as Pi Dingjun and Wang Shusheng led troops to persist in anti-Japanese activities here, making it a revolutionary base area.

Convenient Transportation. The county-level secondary road Jinma Line, running east-west, connects with National Highway 207 and has been fully paved and opened to traffic. The Yubai Road (from Dayu to Baiping in Dengfeng) opens up a passage northward to Dengfeng. The provincial road Houfan Line runs vertically through Dayu from north to south, forming an increasingly interconnected transportation network. A 35KV power transmission line has also been installed, along with program-controlled telephones, broadband networks, cable television... More detailed information about Dayu Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units